Female Secondary School Students Research Articles

The Psychosocial Challenges of Female Secondary School Students in Abeokuta Metropolis: Implications for Mental Health Counsellors

The period of adolescence is associated with several dramatic changes and life challenges particularly among female secondary school students. This study, therefore, investigated the psycho-social challenges of female secondary school students in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. The variables taken into consideration were age, class, school type and mother’s educational attainment. It was a survey research. Sample comprised all the female in-school adolescents in Abeokuta metropolis. A questionnaire entitled “Psychosocial Challenges of Female Students Questionnaire” (PCFSQ) was used to collect data for the study. The findings revealed that the psychosocial challenges of female in-school adolescents were a result of their body shape, sexual harassment from teachers, fear of failure, being bullied by male counterparts, and pressure to perform excellently among others. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that mental health counsellors should assist female in-school adolescents to overcome psychosocial challenges.

THE PRACTICE OF ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT METHODS IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION AND THE MOTIVATION AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ABU DHABI

COVID-19 pandemic invaded the world and formed a social isolation in all aspects of life, including the educational institutions. This affected the face-to-face communication between teachers and the students, which resulted in a decrease in students’ motivation towards learning and achievement. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate if there is a correlation between the alternative assessment methods practices in Islamic education and the level motivation the secondary schools’ students in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The study sample consisted of (385) male and female secondary school students in Al Ain City, the research used the descriptive correlative analytical approach in this study, and to achieve the objectives of this study, the researchers prepared a questionnaire to measure the alternative assessment and he used both the motivation to measure that, and they were validated. A set of results was achieved, the most important of which is: there is a statistically significant correlation between the practice of the alternative assessment method in Islamic education and the level of motivation. In addition, the research results also showed that there are no statistically significant differences, due to the gender and grade variables, in teachers’ use of the alternative assessment methods.

Extracurricular Activities: Prospects and Challenges among Female Students in Secondary Schools in Chanika Ward, Tanzania

Extracurricular Activities: Prospects and Challenges among Female Students in Secondary Schools in Chanika Ward, Tanzania

Examination Anxiety among Male and Female School Students: A Comparative Study

Background: A Comparative study was conducted to assess the level of Examination anxiety (Test anxiety) amongmale and female senior secondary school students in selected schools, Kollam, Kerala. The objectives of the studywere to assess the level of Examination anxiety among male and female senior secondary students and to comparethe level of Examination anxiety among male and female senior secondary students. The final objective was to findout the association between level of Examination anxiety and selected demographic variables.Materials and Methods: The present study adopted a Descriptive-Comparative design. 120 senior secondarystudents (60 Male and 60 Female) from 11th and 12th Standard were enrolled using Non-probability, Conveniencesampling technique. The conceptual framework of the study was based on the Transactional model of Test anxiety(Zeidner, 1998). Tools used for data collection were Demographic Performa and Modified Westside test anxietyscale.Results: Findings of the study revealed that the mean Examination anxiety score among male students was 2.53±0.69and among female students was 3.16±0.67. The ‘student t value’ computed at 5.11**, df = 118 by comparison ofthe mean examination anxiety scores of male and female senior secondary students was statistically significant atP<0.01 level. No association was observed between the level of Examination anxiety and selected demographicvariables (p>0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the study confirmed that the level of Examination anxiety amongthe female senior secondary school students were significantly higher than the male senior secondary students.

A Study of Academic Achievement in English in relation to Family Environment of Secondary Bengali Medium Minority Students of Murshidabad District

In the current time, English has become one of the most effective global medium of communication. It plays an important role being the language of the textbooks and medium of instruction at various levels. Academic Achievement in English can increase educational achievement and expand their performance in every field. Family Environment also plays a vital role in developing Academic Achievement in English. So, the investigator conducted a study on the Academic Achievement in English in relation to Family Environment of Secondary Bengali Medium Minority Students of Murshidabad District. The study was conducted on 150 sample including both male and female Bengali Medium Secondary School students from the Minority community of Murshidabad District with the help of random sampling method. For the collection of the data the researcher used Family Environment Scale developed by Shaloo Saini and Prof. Parminder Kaur and for the valuation of Academic Achievement in English of secondary Bengali medium minority students, the marks obtained by the students in English subject in their class 9th annual examination were taken. The researcher collected final marks of English from students’ results record retained in the respective school. Data was analysed by using co-relation and t- test. Results of the study show that there is a significant relationship between Academic Achievement in English and Family Environment of secondary Bengali medium minority students. The findings also indicate that there is a significant difference between male and female Bengali medium secondary students from the minority community in both the case of Academic Achievement in English and Family Environment.

Effectiveness of positive psychotherapy training on thought control and emotional adjustment of 17-15-year-old female students recovered from the Corona Pandemic (Covid-19)

Background and Aim: The purpose of the present study is to determine the effectiveness of psychological education in positive mania on the control of thought and emotional adjustment of 15-17-year-old female students who have recovered from the first peak of the Corona Pandemic (Covid-19) in Zabul city. Methods: The present study was applied research with quasi-experimental type and pre-test, post-test with a control group. The statistical population was all secondary school female students of Zabul city, and using multi-stage cluster sampling method, 32 students recovered from the first peak of the corona pandemic were selected and divided into two experimental groups. (16 people) and the control group (16 people) were randomly selected. The pre-test was conducted in all groups and positive psychotherapy trainings were given to the experimental group. The post-test was conducted in all groups. In the pre-test and post-test Wells and Davis Thought Control Questionnaires (TCQ, Rabiot et al. 's emotional compatibility (EAM) were implemented. One-way univariate analysis of covariance and multivariate one-way analysis of covariance or Mancova test were used to analyze the data. Results: In general, the results of the data analysis showed that positive psychotherapy training did not affect the increase in thought control of 15-17-year-old female students who recovered from the first peak of the Corona pandemic. This training had an effect on the emotional adjustment of students. The emotional adjustment of subjects who were trained in positive psychotherapy was significantly improved compared to the control group. Conclusion: It can be concluded that positive psychotherapy can improve students' thought control and emotional adjustment, so it is suggested to use it in counseling and treatment.

Investigating the mediating role of rumination between parental control and shyness in adolescent girls

rumination between parental control and shyness in adolescent girls. Method: The current research method is descriptive-survey of correlation type. The purpose of the research is applied and cross-sectional in terms of time. The statistical population includes all female secondary school students of Bojnord city who were engaged in the analysis in the academic year of 2014-2016. In order to estimate the sufficient sample size, Klein's (2005) sample size determination method was used, and 567 people were selected as the sample size. The sampling method is a single-stage cluster. In order to collect the desired information and measure the research variables, Hoeksma and Maro (1991) Rumination Questionnaire, Leslie et al.'s (1986) Parental Control (PLOC) and Stanford Shyness Questionnaire were used. SPSS and AMOS software were used to analyze the data. Results: According to the results, the causal model of students' shyness based on parental control with the mediating role of rumination has a suitable fit. Conclusion: parental control has a direct effect on self-criticism. Parental control has a direct effect on shyness. Parental control has a direct effect on rumination. Rumination has a direct effect on modesty. Rumination plays a mediating role between parental control and shyness.

Study Habits and Academic Achievement among Male & Female Secondary School Students

Study Habits and Academic Achievement among Male & Female Secondary School Students

The mediating role of thinking styles in the relationship between adolescent time perspective and subjective well-being.

The mechanism behind how time perspective (TP) relates to subjective well-being is not fully understood and thinking styles might be potential mediators. However, our understanding of the relationship between thinking styles and subjective well-being is currently limited to adult studies. This study aims to extend the literature by examining the mediating role of thinking styles in the relationship between TP and subjective well-being in an adolescent sample. One hundred forty-nine male and one hundred and fourteen female secondary school students (13-18 years old) in Hong Kong responded to the Thinking Styles Inventory-Revised II (TSI-R2), the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and the Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale (TSWLS) in two waves separated by 2 months in 2017. After controlling for gender and TP, internal and external styles positively predicted positive affect and future life satisfaction after 2 months. Adaptive Type I hierarchical style positively predicted both positive and negative affect after 2 months, which supports the two-dimensional structure of affect. Unexpectedly, maladaptive Type II styles did not predict subjective well-being. Longitudinal mediation using cross-lagged panel model showed that thinking styles mediated three relationships between TP and subjective well-being. The internal style mediated the relationship between Past-Negative TP, positive affect, and future life satisfaction, while the external style mediated the relationship between Future TPand future life satisfaction. Thinking styles predicted adolescent subjective well-being and acted as mediators in the relationship between TPs and subjective well-being.

Academic Stress and Emotional Adjustment: A Gender-Based Post-COVID Study.

The worldwide spread of COVID-19 infection and its preventive measures has resulted in global disruption of overall functioning of the individuals. In the post-COVID period, several stressors associated with the pandemic have exacerbated adjustment problems in students and impacted their mental health. The study aims to assess the Academic Stress and Emotional Adjustment of male and female secondary school students in Uttar Pradesh, post-COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. A sample of 500 students from various schools in Uttar Pradesh pursuing high school were included in the study. A purposive sampling technique was employed for data collection based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Scale for Assessing Academic Stress and the Adolescents Emotional Adjustment Inventory were used to assess the academic stress and emotional adjustment of secondary school students post-COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The results of the study revealed that there was a significant difference in academic stress and emotional adjustment between male and female secondary school students. A significant positive relationship between academic stress and emotional adjustment was found, which indicates a high level of academic stress perpetuates emotional maladjustment. Furthermore, it was found that the level of academic stress and emotional adjustment were higher among females as compared to males. It can be concluded that the extended impact of COVID-19 has led to a surfeited level of distress propounding that females are more predisposed to academic stress and tend to have poor emotional adjustment than their male counterparts.

Exploring physical activity of female secondary school students from selected regions of Slovakia

The aim of study was to analyse and compare physical activity of female secondary school students from selected regions of Slovakia. The study group consisted of 1,972 female secondary school students from grammar and vocational schools from five regions of Slovakia. The study data were analysed for each region by using chi-square test at p < .01, p < .05. During the work week, 52.43% of study group have on average 1 to 3 hours of leisure time. The most significant difference in the amount of leisure time, between the work week and the weekend, was recorded in the Banská Bystrica Region, Košice Region, Prešov Region and Žilina Region with 40% of the female students stating that they have more than 5 hours/ day of leisure time at the weekend. Within the Bratislava Region, the amount of weekend leisure time only increased by 11% (p < .01). The female students from the Bratislava Region predominantly (60.62%) spend their leisure time passively, while most of female students from the Banská Bystrica Region (56.57%) and Košice Region (60.25%) spend their leisure time actively. Significant differences between the female students from the Bratislava Region and female students from the other regions were also recorded in other areas (p < .01, p < .05).

Menstrual Hygiene Management Practices among Female Secondary School Students in Umuahia, South-Eastern Nigeria

Proper menstrual hygiene management is essential for the good health of women. Access to clean water and sanitary facilities is essential for maintaining good hygiene. The objective of this study was to assess the menstrual hygiene management practices among female secondary school students in Umuahia, South-Eastern Nigeria. This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study of which a well-structured questionnaire was administered among secondary school girls in Umuahia, Nigeria. Results showed that for “washing of hands with soap and running water”, 20 students representing 9.52% indicated very high level (VH) of practice, 28 students representing 13.33% indicated high level (H) of practice, while 64(30.48%) and 98 (46.67%) indicated low level (LL) and very low level (VL) of practice respectively. For “washing of hands before meals” 107 (50.95%) and 62 (29.52%) indicated that they did it to a VH and H respectively, while 29 (13.81%) and 12 (5.71%) respectively indicated LL and VL of practice. The results also showed that the absorbent most used was a disposable sanitary pad. The most common frequency of change of absorbent was twice a day. Ten (10) students representing 7.14% very often used reusable cloth/towel, 4(2.86%) very often used tampon, 78 representing 55.71% very often used disposable sanitary pad, 0(0.00%) very often used menstrual cup, while 8 representing 5.71% very often used toilet paper/tissue. The most frequently adopted rate of changing absorbents by students was twice a day (morning and night). The results showed that 68 (48.57%) of the students very often (VOF) changed their absorbents twice a day, while 16 (11.43%) rarely changed their absorbent twice a day. The findings of this study indicated that the menstrual hygiene management practices among the students were very poor. Adequate health promotion for secondary school girls and provision of basic toilet facilities at these schools was recommended. Keywords: Menstruation, Hygiene, Hand-washing, Absorbents, Sanitation.

AWARENESS OF BREAST SELF EXAMINATION AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL GIRLS (15-17 YEARS) BETWEEN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS OF EBONYI STATE.

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of awareness of breast self-examination among secondary school girls (15-17 years old) in Ebonyi State's rural and urban districts. The study was designed as a cross sectional survey of female secondary school students using questionnaire for data collection. The study population was from a secondary school (1000 females), 500 females were from rural areas of Ebonyi State while 500 females were from urban areas of Ebonyi State. Data obtained was analysed using chi square Pearson correlation coefficient (r) which is one of the tools in International Business Machine Statistical Package for Social Science (IBMSPSS) version 25. From the results obtained, awareness of breast self-examination for the urban subjects were reported to be 62.3% while for the rural subjects, it was reported to be 37.7%. The major source of awareness of breast self-examination was from health workers for urban dwellers and television for rural dwellers. In conclusion, disparity in the awareness of breast self-examination between urban and rural secondary school girls (age 15-17) in Ebonyi State was found and thus it is important to create awareness of BSE among young girls most especially the rural area dwellers.

Effect of Assessment for Learning (Afol) on Mathemetics Performance Among Senior Secondary School Students in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria

The study investigated Effect of Assessment for Learning (AfoL) on Mathematics Performance among Senior Secondary School Students in Port Harcourt Metropolis. The study adopted the quasi-experimental research design. The population of the study comprised of 3,234 SS2 students drawn across all public secondary schools in Port Harcourt metropolis. A sample of 60 SS2 students across two schools was drawn for the study using purposive sampling technique. Intact class was used without random assignment. The researcher classified the students into the experimental and the treatment groups using the two schools (School A & B) with school A being the experimental group (AfoL) and B (AoL) the control group. These are the assessment for learning group as school A and the control group. The research instrument used for the study was “Mathematics Performance Test” (MPT) which served as pre-test and a reshuffled version serving as the posttest. Table of specification (ToS) was used to determine content and validity of the instrument while KR20 was used to determine a reliability coefficient of 0.91. Mean and standard deviation, t-test and 2-Way ANOVA were used in the analysis. Results showed that there is a significant difference (p=0.000<0.05) in the effect of AfoL on mathematics performance of senior secondary school students in Port Harcourt metropolis as compared between their pretest and posttest scores. There was also a significance difference (p=.021<.05) in the effect of AfoL on mathematics performance of senior secondary school students in Port Harcourt metropolis as compared between the experimental and control groups. On the other hand, there was no significant difference (p=.80>.05) in the effect of AfoL and AoL on mathematics performance of male and female senior secondary school students in Port Harcourt metropolis. Based on this, recommendation among others was that classroom teachers and evaluators should from time to time assess their students (AfoL) instead of waiting till the end of the term (Summative assessment).

Stages of HPV Vaccine Hesitancy Among Guardians of Female Secondary School Students in China

PurposeFemale secondary school students are the primary recommended population for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. However, vaccine hesitancy may affect uptake. In this study, we assessed the vaccine hesitancy levels among the guardians of female secondary school students in China. MethodsWe developed a questionnaire and conducted cross-sectional surveys among guardians of secondary school girls aged 12–19 years in mainland China based on the Increasing Vaccination Model and the Precaution Adoption Process Model. ResultsWe collected 3,225 valid samples. Among the participating guardians, 53.9% were vaccine hesitant, although only 0.9% had refused HPV vaccines. Some individual characteristics of guardians (e.g. sex, education/income level) were associated with understanding HPV vaccines. Better knowledge of HPV vaccines and communication with reliable sources of information were associated with vaccine nonhesitancy. Practical barriers such as vaccine shortage and busy schedules prevented nonhesitant guardians from vaccinating their children. DiscussionA substantial proportion of the guardians surveyed were HPV vaccine hesitant. Promoting HPV knowledge and communication with reliable sources (e.g. clinical doctors) could help fight against vaccine hesitancy.

Risk and protective factors for marijuana use and problems with use in a national sample of female Ecuadorian secondary school students.

This study investigated risk and protective factors for marijuana use and problems with use in Ecuadorian girls in an attempt to inform this growing problem. Female secondary school students (N=16,310; M=15.02, SD=1.73 years) who completed the 2016 national survey of drug use participated. The likelihood of lifetime marijuana use, reported by 7.3% of the sample, was predicted by older age, greater perceived access to marijuana and affiliation with tobacco- and marijuana-using peers; aspects of parental monitoring and perceived physical safety in and around school were negatively related to the probability of use. Among girls reporting any marijuana use, age, frequency of past year use, ease of access and affiliation with marijuana-using peers was positively associated with marijuana use problems. These data support the roles of both parents and communities in reducing marijuana use among Ecuadorian girls and highlight the important role of peer influence.

Level of Achievement Motivation among Secondary School Students in the Light of some Variables

The study aimed to identify the level of achievement motivation among secondary school students study the achievement motivation among these students in the light of several variables. The sample of the study consisted of (500) male and female secondary school students in Gaza, half of whom are males and the other half are females. The study followed the descriptive approach, and the study used the psychological and social adjustment scale and the achievement motivation scale as study tools. The study reached several results, namely: the level of achievement motivation among secondary school students in Gaza is characterized by high. Achievement motivation among secondary school students in Gaza is attributed to the student’s family type in favor of the student with an extended family. The study recommended the need to pay attention to the promotion and development of self-management among students, which works to enhance and develop their skills and self-abilities in dealing with their goals and aspirations according to the characteristics and tendencies of students. The researcher suggested studying the relationship between the components and characteristics of personality and academic excellence among secondary school students.

Effect of Core Stability Training on Correction and Surface Electronic Signals of Paravertebral in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Objective To observe the effect of 12-week core stability training on Cobb angle and the ratios of AEMG (averaged EMG) and IEMG (integral EMG) of paravertebral electromyography in thoracic and lumbar segments in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients and offer a practical-based evidence for the rehabilitation treatment for AIS patients. Methods 31 AIS female middle school students were randomly divided into an exercise group (n = 16, 12 weeks of core stability training, 3 times/week) and AIS group (n = 15). In addition, 15 female secondary school students without scoliosis were included as the normal group (the AIS group and normal group did not perform any regular physical exercise throughout the trial period and only receive regular evaluation and guidance). Before and after the experiment, the digital diagnostic equipment of Philips was used to examine the Cobb angle and Noraxon was used to measure the surface EMG signals of the back thoracic and lumbar paravertebral muscles. Results Compared with that before training, after 12 weeks of core stability training, the Cobb angle in the exercise group significantly decreased, and the ratio of AEMG (convex/concave) and IEMG (convex/concave) of paravertebral muscles in the thoracolumbar segment significantly decreased (P < 0.01, respectively); there was no significant difference in the above indicators in the AIS group before and after the experiment (P > 0.05, respectively). After 12 weeks of core stability training, compared with the AIS group, the Cobb angle decreased significantly (P < 0.01), and the ratio of AEMG (convex/concave) and IEMG (convex/concave) of paravertebral muscles in thoracolumbar segment decreased significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with the normal group, the ratio of AEMG and IEMG of paravertebral muscles in thoracolumbar segment significantly increased (P < 0.01) in the AIS group (P < 0.01, respectively). Conclusions The core stability training can significantly reduce the Cobb angle of AIS and correct the bad posture of scoliosis patients, which may be related to the balance of the electromyographic activities (convex concave side) of paravertebral muscles in AIS patients.

Factors influencing period poverty among female adolescent students in public secondary schools in EDE North, Osun State

Background: Period poverty, which includes a lack of access to menstrual products, can lead to poor menstrual hygiene by wearing pads or tampons for too long to manage what they have, absorbing menstrual blood with newspapers or dirty clothes, and not washing or washing the vagina with dirty water these unhealthy practices can lead to things like fungal infection, bacterial infection, yeast infection and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). Period poverty is a serious issue in Nigeria but is overlooked and understudied. The study assessed the level of period poverty among the respondents and the factors influencing period poverty. Methods: This study adopted a descriptive design to describe the factors associated with period poverty among public secondary school students in Ede, Osun state. A multistage sampling technique was used for the study. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, and the level of significance was α0.05. Results: The mean age was 14.2 ± 3.8 years. 29.8% were from JSS1, 25.3% were from JSS2, 25.0% were from SSS1, and 19.9% were from SSS2. Results revealed that the majority 79.5% experienced intense period poverty, 14.1% were rated average, and 6.4% experienced less intense period poverty. 72.4% had personal factors that can influence period poverty, while 27.6% had personal factors that might not influence period poverty. 70.6% gave responses that show the school having conditions that can contribute to period poverty while 29.4% gave responses that show the school having conditions that would not contribute to period poverty. 76.6% had background factors that could influence Period Poverty, while 23.4% had background factors that might not influence period poverty. Conclusion: Curbing these factors that influence (increase) the rate of period poverty would reduce its effects.

Challenges and lessons from a school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program for adolescent girls in a rural Nigerian community

BackgroundOver 80% of new cervical cancer cases occur in women living in low- and middle-income countries. It is the second highest cause of female cancer deaths in Nigeria. School based vaccination programs are an effective strategy for delivering the HPV vaccine to adolescent girls. This study aims to understand the challenges to implementing school-based HPV vaccination programs, particularly in a remote rural setting where vaccine hesitancy is high.MethodsA 22- item interviewer administered questionnaire was used to evaluate HPV knowledge and willingness to get the HPV vaccinate among 100 female secondary school students as part of an HPV vaccination pilot in a rural community in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were used to assess community knowledge and attitudes on cervical cancer and HPV vaccination. Data collected were analyzed thematically to understand challenges and generate lessons for vaccine delivery in the study setting.ResultsKnowledge of HPV and cervical cancer among junior secondary school aged girls was fair with a mean score of 66.05%. For senior secondary school aged girls, the knowledge score ranged from 70 to 100% with a mean of 96.25% indicating good knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer. All participants (n = 100) received the first vaccine dose but due to COVID-19, 33 participants were not able to complete the vaccine dosage within the recommended 6-month schedule. Of the parents who provided consent, none could afford the vaccine out of pocket. Challenges to vaccine delivery included operational costs exacerbated by lack of adequate health workforce and infrastructure in the study setting.ConclusionAn exploration of sociocultural perspectives and contextual realities is crucial to understanding the complexities of HPV vaccine introduction from the perspective of the target audience, and the local community. Strategies for introducing the HPV vaccine should address community concerns through effective communication, appropriate delivery, and targeted advocacy to make the vaccination program locally relevant. While school-based HPV immunization programs have been shown to be successful, adequate design, planning and monitoring is important. Additionally, considerations must be made to account for the high operational cost of vaccine delivery in rural, hard to reach areas where human resources and infrastructure are limited.