Behavior Of School Children Research Articles

Distribution of dental health behaviors in Nordic schoolchildren

The present study was part of the project "Health Behavior in Schoolchildren. A WHO Cross National Survey". The distribution of eight dental health behaviors among Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish schoolchildren aged 11, 13, and 15 yr was studied separately for boys and girls. The sample size approximated 3000 individuals for each country, and the samples are considered to be representative for whole countries. The distinction between individual and collective behavior was empirically supported in this study. Thus collective behaviors (supervised fluoride rinsing and distribution of fluoride tablets) did not vary according to sex but declined with increasing age. On the other hand, individual behaviors varied according to sex and tended to increase in frequency with increasing age. The levels of the studied dental health behaviors were different among the three countries. This may be related to country-specific preventive policies as well as social and cultural norms.

The Coparental Relationship of Divorced Spouses:

The authors examined the effects of divorce on the school behavior of a sample of 32 second, third, and fourth grade children. Results suggested that coparental relationsip variables (such as frequency and quality of interaction) may be more significant influences on children's school behavior than the marital status of their parents. In this regard: (1) only one significant differences was found in the school behavior of children from divorced and those from the control group of intact families; (2) regression analyses did not select family status as a significant predictor of problem variables and children's school behavior. These results have implications for teachers and for mental health professionals who counsel post-divorce families.

小学生の食行動の実態とその健康状態との関係

The present study was to investigate the eating behaviors and daily habits in elementary school children and their relationships with subjective physical symptoms by the questionnaire for school children and their parents in Fukusima. The results were as follows:(1) Only one third of school children in lower three grades had appetite in breakfast time, and only one fifth in upper grades had. The appetite rates were more than 50% in dinner time. About 5% of children ate breakfast alone.(2) As to snacking, about 80% of children ate snack one time a day. The snacking time were delayed from 15 o’clock to 18 o’clock as the grade increased.(3)The results of principal component analysis showed the first six components of more than 5 percent of variance, which were labeled “growth”, “weak constitution”, “snacking/familial care”, “daily life rhythm”, “good appetite”, and “sex differences of nutrition”.(4) Taken these results and the previous findings together, the problems of eating behavior in school children were a) family life habit including snacking, b) the “night” style of daily life rhythm, c) gastroingestinal conditions and appetite, and d) excessive weight control in girls.

Preventing Smoking Behavior in School Children: An Initial Test of a Cognitive‐Development Program1

A three‐session smoking prevention program based on a cognitive‐developmental stage model was developed and pilot‐tested with 315 sixth through eighth grade students in an urban public school. A media component focusing on experiences associated with different stages of smoking was followed by a structural discussion that linked cognition about symptoms with skills to resist influences to smoke. The control group viewed three commonly used smoking prevention films, made written comments on the films, and participated in an unstructured discussion. Students exposed to the experimental program showed superior gains in accurate interpretations of symptoms, adaptation to symptoms, and addiction. Significantly fewer students exposed to the experimental program made the transition from a first try to occasional or regular smoking at an 18 month follow‐up. Change in understanding of symptoms mediated treatment effects. Obtaining these results with only a three‐session program, using an active treatment control, a within school design, and an urban, racially balanced population, supports the inclusion of a cognitive‐developmental component in smoking prevention.

Attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs as predictors of exercise intent and behavior in schoolchildren.

Physical education programs represent an important gateway for encouraging young people to develop life-long exercise habits. In this study of middle school students (N = 603), attitudes toward physical education, knowledge about the benefits of exercise, and beliefs about one's abilities were assessed to determine their influence on exercise intent and current exercise behavior. As predicted, perceived benefits of exercise, current exercise behavior, attitudes toward physical education, self-esteem, and gender contributed significantly and independently to exercise intent (total variance explained = 37%). Exercise intent, outside sports activities, perceived benefits of exercise, gender, and attitudes toward physical education contributed significantly and independently to current exercise behavior (total variance explained = 27%). Programs that make attending physical education a pleasant experience and that explain specific benefits of exercise can influence exercise intent and can enhance students' sense of self-esteem, both of which may increase future exercise behavior.

Cigarette smoking in Australian schoolchildren

Six thousand, four hundred and fifty-one schoolchildren who were aged nine to 15 years completed a questionnaire about their patterns of cigarette use, as part of the nation-wide Health and Fitness Survey of Australian Schoolchildren which was conducted in 1985. The survey yielded figures for the prevalence of cigarette smoking by age, sex, socioeconomic status and ethnic origin. It also provided data on the relationship between parental smoking and smoking in children. By the age of 15 years, 32.4% of the girls and 26.0% of the boys in the study sample had smoked at least one cigarette in the seven days before they were surveyed. In some of the age-groups, the average number of cigarettes that were consumed by girl smokers equalled or exceeded that of their male counterparts. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of current cigarette smoking with differences in socioeconomic status. This finding contrasts with the pattern of use in adults. Ethnic origin was a statistically-significant predictor of smoking behaviour in children. Significantly-fewer children of Asian ethnic origin were current smokers. Parental smoking status also appeared to be an important determinant of smoking behaviour in schoolchildren. This influence was more important for girls than for boys, particularly when the mother was a smoker. The over-all findings suggest that many features of the adult pattern of cigarette use are established by the age of 15 years. The findings also supported the trend towards increased cigarette consumption by girls compared with boys that was noted by earlier researchers. These findings should encourage a serious reappraisal of the role of cigarette advertising in the promotion of smoking in young persons.

Peculiarities of primary school children's behaviour and their test anxiety

The test anxiety of 68 eight-year-olds has been conducted with the help of S. B. Sarason's "The Test Anxiety Scale for Children". The peculiarities of their behaviour in stress situations at school have been studied through clinical interviews and observations. The analysis of the data obtained has confirmed our hypothesis (p<0.01) that an increase in test anxiety is related to unrealistic behaviour which is psychologically based on impulsiveness and psychological defence mechanisms, whereas a relative decrease in lest anxiety is linked with realistic behaviour which is psychologically based on will.

Effects of self-concept and perceived disapproval of delinquent behavior in school children

It is argued that a multidimensional approach to self-concept may reveal intricate relations between self-concept and delinquent behavior, and that perceived approval of delinquent behaviors from referent groups may be related to the frequency of their occurrence. To evaluate these hypotheses, 1668 students from Grade 7 to Grade 9 responded to a questionnaire that measured their general self-esteem; their self-concept with regard to physical ability, social ability, physical appearance, and academic ability; the frequency they committed 15 delinquent acts; and the perceived approval of committing these acts from their parents, teachers, and friends. Regression analyses indicated that poor academic self-concept and poor relationship with school and parents were related to a higher frequency of delinquent behavior. However, a higher frequency of delinquent behavior was related to a more positive selfconcept with regard to social ability and physical ability. Finally, higher perceived approval from parents and peers was related to more delinquent behavior. Implications of these findings for identifying the antecedents and consequences of delinquent behavior were discussed.

The influence of peers and parents on the smoking behavior of schoolchildren.

The influence of peers and parents on the smoking behavior of schoolchildren.

Health behaviour in schoolchildren A WHO cross-national survey

“Health Behaviour in Schoolchildren. A WHO Cross-National Survey” was started by researchers from three European countries. Presently, more than 10 countries within the European region of WHO are accepted as members of the project. The study is oriented towards behavioural and social science, and its basic philosophy is described as a lifestyle approach. In the first part of this article, differences between traditional epidemiological research and lifestyle research are outlined. The concept “lifestyle” is clarified, and the focuses of lifestyle, health promotion and health education research are described. It is argued that aspects of lifestyle not considered to be directly related to mortality or morbidity may be more important for an understanding of lifestyle of individuals or groups than aspects more directly related to health. Health-related habits, lifestyle and psychosocial aspects of health are chosen as criterion variables of the study. The personal and environmental context of lifestyle are the main factors on the predictor side, and the findings should also be discussed in a demographic and macrosocial context. National cross-sectional surveys (n at least 3000) are carried out regularly in an increasing number of countries. Data are collected anonymously at school, covering three age groups (mean age 11.5, 13.5, and 15.5 years). One part of the questionnaire consists of a core of questions and is repeated in every survey. The other part has a special focus which changes from survey to survey. Comparability of data across countries is given high priority. Results from the first survey (1983–84) are presented to illustrate the relative importance of country, indicators of inequality, social network, and beliefs in the harmful effects of smoking as predictors of smoking habits. The results confirm that a wide range of predictors are important. In line with the philosophy of the project, the focus of the second survey (1985–86) is on physical activity (as a positive health habit) and psychosocial aspects of health. Finally the report mentions some of the more practical and administrative problems related to this kind of cross-national research, and describes some of the limitations of large-scale cross-national surveys.

Psychiatric Input as Part of a Comprehensive Evaluation Program for Socially and Emotionally Disturbed Children

Placement in special education classes for the socially and emotionally disturbed (SED) requires appropriate assessment of referred children. Pennsylvania is one of the few states mandating a psychiatrist's evaluation for placement in these classes. Psychiatric input, however, is usually quite limited; frequently the evaluation takes place solely in the psychiatrist's office and information about the child's school behavior is limited to the written referrals. These conditions make accurate and useful psychiatric assessment difficult. This paper describes a multidisciplinary team approach that enhances communication between the school and the team. A program integrating assessment and consultation services is provided. A unique feature of the program includes structured observations of the child at school; this system is described in detail.

On Defining Play: An Empirical Study of the Relationship between Play and Various Play Criteria

SMITH, PETER K., and VOLLSTEDT, RALPH. On Defining Play: An Empirical Study of the Relationship between Play and Various Play Criteria. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1985, 56, 1042-1050. A number of criteria have been suggested for defining play, but no empirical study has been done to see whether observers actually use such criteria to identify play. 5 commonly quoted play criteria were applied by subjects to a videotape of nursery school children's behavior, rated separately for occurrence of play. Agreement among raters was moderate to substantial for the criteria Nonliterality, Positive Affect, and Flexibility, and fair for Means/Ends and Intrinsic Motivation. With the exception of Intrinsic Motivation, all were associated with ratings of play. A test was made of a specific model proposed by Krasnor and Pepler that play is best predicted by a combination of several criteria. The main feature of the model was supported in that the more criteria occurred simultaneously, the more certainly a judgment of play was implied. Some details of the model were not supported. Extensions of the methodology that was used are considered.

Mothers' subjective employment experiences and the behaviour of their nursery school children

Most research on the effects of maternal employment on children has followed the ‘maternal deprivation’ hypothesis, which focuses on differences in the behaviour of children of employed and non‐employed mothers. Yet this framework may have impeded an examination of a more relevant question, namely the impact of mothers' employment‐related experiences. Accordingly, this study assesses the influence of mothers' job satisfaction, job involvement and role conflict on the behaviour of their nursery school sons and daughters (n=46 and 45 respectively). The effects of maternal employment on their nursery school children were found to be mediated by (a) the nature and quality of the employment experience (i.e. positive or negative), (b) the type of child behaviour assessed, and (c) the sex of the child. Mothers' job satisfaction was positively associated with daughters' self‐control and negatively with conduct problems; their role conflict was negatively related to sons' and daughters' self‐control, and positively associated with sons' conduct problems and daughters' immaturity. These results support the hypothesis that the quality of the maternal employment experience influences nursery school children's behaviour.

The effects of ethnicity, sex and father's occupation on heart health knowledge and nutrition behavior of school children: the Texas youth health awareness survey.

The relationships of ethnicity, sex and father's occupation with heart health knowledge and nutrition behavior were studied in Texas seventh and eighth grade students. A questionnaire was administered to 2,695 children in schools chosen to represent the urban/rural and ethnic mix of the state population. The findings indicated a strong need for heart health education and for culturally-relevant nutrition education aimed at specific target groups defined by ethnicity, sex and leisure activity. Analysis of eating behavior at school and home confirmed the importance of school feeding programs on the health of minority and low income children.

School behavior and attendance during the first year of treatment for childhood cancer

The school behavior of children with cancer and hemophilia is a relatively new area of interest and investigation. Children with cancer have been described as having increased school absenteeism and a self-protecting posture. The school behavior and achievement of children with cancer and hemophilia were rated by their teachers before and after first being seen in a large pediatric center. No pre-vs-post diagnosis differences were noted on academic and behavior ratings with either the cancer or hemophilia children. School absenteeism for the children with cancer was four times greater than that of healthy children, and absenteeism of children with hemophilia was twice normal. A substantial percentage of children with cancer was rated as having academic performance affected to at least a moderate degree. The school performance and behavior of children with cancer and hemophilia need to be monitored and appropriate educational adjustment made to accommodate the limitations imposed by these medical conditions.

Indirect Socialization of Children: The Effects of Mothers' Jobs on Academic Behaviors

PIOTRKOWSKI, CHAYA S., and KATZ, MITCHELL H. Indirect Socialization of Children: The Effects of Mothers' Jobs on Academic Behaviors. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1982, 53, 1520-1529. This study investigates indirect socialization effects of parents' occupational conditions on children's school behaviors. Following a model developed by Kohn, we proposed that parents encourage in their children those behaviors they view as adaptive in their own occupational settings. Propositions linking 3 job characteristics-job autonomy, job demands, and skill utilization-to children's school attendance, effort, and achievement were developed. Autonomy was proposed to be negatively associated with attendance, demands positively associated with effort, and skill utilization positively associated with achievement. These hypothesized relationships were tested in a sample of 60 employed, predominantly black, lower SES women and their adolescent and preadolescent children who were enrolled in an academic summer program. Results supported 2 of the 3 hypotheses of the study. As predicted, mothers' job autonomy and skill utilization at work were significantly associated with academic behaviors in the predicted directions. The pattern of findings indicates that relatively specific relationships may exist between the employment conditions of parents and aspects of children's school behavior.

Effects of marital discord on the school behavior of children of schizophrenic, affectively disordered, and normal parents.

An association between children's school behavior and two family variables, marital discord and parental psychopathology, has been consistently reported in the literature. However, the joint effects of each of these two familial factors has not been closely examined. The present report provides a further examination of the interrelationships among these three variables with particular emphasis on the effects of marital discord on children's school behavior in families with behaviorally disturbed parents. Marital discord was found to account for much of the association between having a parent with bipolar disorder or unipolar depression and problematic school behavior, but the same variable did not explain the relationship between having a schizophrenic parent and problems in school. The implications of these findings for interventions with the children of disturbed parents and for high-risk research are discussed.

Family Free-Play Interaction: Setting and Methods

The preceding chapters have described characteristics of the sample from which our data are drawn and the procedures for diagnosis of the patients and rating the child's school behavior. Dr. Harder et al. have summarized the relation of parent characteristics to the child's behavior and pointed to possible effects of these patient characteristics on family interaction and thus on the development of competence in the children. The next three chapters explore empirically how well family interaction can explain the relationships between parent characteristics and the child's school functioning. This chapter is a report on the methodology of the family free-play procedure.

Predictors of cross setting behavior change in the treatment of child problems

The present study was undertaken to identify predictors of change in child behavior in school which occur with treatment of home problems. Sixteen clinic-referred children served as subjects. Before and after treatment in which their parents were taught behavior management skills the children were observed in the home and at school. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that changes in home oppositional behavior in combination with the pretreatment level of the school behavior, served as significant predictors of changes in school behavior.

Sex differences in the aggressive behaviour of schoolchildren

An observational study was carried out to investigate whether sex differences in aggression, found in pre-school children in free-play situations, would also be found at older ages in the classroom. Equal numbers of boys and girls, aged 6 and 11 years, were observed individually in their school classrooms for eight 5 min periods, carried out over several weeks. At 11 years of age, boys showed more physical aggression than girls, a finding which resulted from a few boys showing higher scores than the remaining boys and the girls; girls showed more verbal aggression. These sex differences were not found at 6 years of age. At both ages, there was a higher proportion of same-sex than opposite-sex encounters. These results are discussed in terms of the generality of sex differences in aggression, the possibility of a sex difference in the form of aggressive acts, and the sex of the recipient of aggression.