Taiwanese Youth Research Articles

Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Taiwanese youth: soldiers and college students

Researchers have identified university students and military personnel as highly susceptible to the stress and emotional challenges imposed by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The objective of this study was to compare the psychological impact of COVID-19 on soldiers and students based on risk factors identified in self reports. We recruited 258 students (male: female = 58: 204, average age = 19.73 ± 1.52 years) and 194 active soldiers (male: female = 172: 22, average age = 24.88 ± 4.11 years) from northern Taiwan. Analysis was performed on demographic data, history of COVID-19 infection, vaccinations, and the subjective psychological impact of the pandemic, as well as their current (within one month) anxiety levels, depression level, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis models were used to compare soldier vs. student status and male vs. female. Overall, roughly 54% of the subjects had been infected by COVID-19 at least once, and the psychological impact of the pandemic was more pronounced in the infected group. The students reported more pronounced symptoms of PTSD (elevated anxiety and depression levels) than did the soldiers. All regression models other than those associated with age and sex revealed that the link between COVID-19 infection and the symptoms of PTSD was more salient among soldiers and males than among students and females. It appears that the psychological impact of COVID-19 is underreported by soldiers. These findings indirectly support previous research indicating that soldiers are less likely than students to disclose emotions related to trauma, indicating the need for psychological support for military personnel.

Taiwanese youth’s imagination of good citizens through environmental policy controversy deliberations

What does it mean to be a good citizen when coping with sustainability challenges in politically polarized and values-conflicting contexts? This study explores Taiwanese students’ imagination of good citizens as they deliberate over a highly controversial local environmental policy. Tracing five focal students’ learning trajectories, this study unpacks how the students perceive their own and the adult stakeholders’ roles in this controversy. Results revealed students’ consistent distrust of the adult stakeholders. Nevertheless, they developed expectations of the stakeholders as they learned more about the political complexities of this issue. Students’ imaginations about good citizens include four elements: engaging in public issues, respecting different opinions, rational communication, and addressing the local’s concerns and needs. Based on the results, I argue that pluralistic values are needed for preparing citizens to cope with sustainability challenges in multicultural and pluralistic societies.

Why did Taiwanese Youth Protest in 2014? Emergence of protests from the Perspective of Mobilization Structures and Shared Grievances

The purpose of the paper is to restudy the reasons for youth activism in Taiwan in 2014, which led to the so-called Sunflower Movement. The study is based on desk research and semi-structured interviews and expert interviews conducted by the authors, and in the framework of the Daybreak Project. Additionally the analysis on the social media posts during the movement was conducted. Data were analyzed through the Bert Klandermans’ model on reasons for collective mobilization. The supply side of mobilization was divided into the role of mobilizing structures and the appeal. The demand side was analyzed through: sociopolitical characteristics of the participants; social embeddedness; shared grievances and shared emotions; group identification. The paper assumes that participation in the protests was a result of mobilizational structures – student discussion groups and the sense that the authorities were violating procedural justice principles – mainly in connection with the processing of the CSSTA.

Chinese version of the Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport (TAPAS) scale: testing unidimensionality, measurement invariance, concurrent validity, and known-group validity among Taiwanese youths

Background and objectivesPsychosocial factors affect individuals’ desire for physical activity. A newly developed instrument (Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport; TAPAS) has been designed to assess the avoidance of physical activity. Considering cultural differences could be decisive factors, the present study aimed to translate and validate the TAPAS into Chinese (Mandarin) for Taiwanese youths, and further cultural comparisons are expected.MethodsStandard translation procedure (i.e., forward translation, back translation, and reconciliation) was used to translate the English TAPAS into the Chinese TAPAS. Following translation, 608 youths (mean [SD] age 29.10 [6.36] years; 333 [54.8%] women) participated in the study via a snowballing sampling method with an online survey. All participants completed the Chinese TAPAS and additional instruments assessing weight stigma and psychological distress. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structure of the Chinese TAPAS and multigroup CFA to examine measurement invariance across gender (men vs. women) and weight status (overweight vs. non-overweight). Pearson correlations were used to examine the concurrent validity; independent t-tests between gender groups and weight status groups were used to examine the known-group validity.ResultsConsistent with the English version, the Chinese TAPAS was found to have a one-factor structure evidenced by CFA results. The structure was invariant across gender and weight status groups evidenced by multigroup CFA results. Concurrent validity was supported by significant associations with the related constructs assessed (r = 0.326 to 0.676; p < 0.001). Known-group validity was supported by the significant differences in TAPAS total scores between gender and weight status groups (p = 0.004 and < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 0.24 and 0.48).ConclusionThe Chinese version of the TAPAS is a valid and reliable instrument assessing individuals’ avoidance of physical activity and sports due to underlying psychosocial issues among Taiwanese youths. It is anticipated to be applied within a large Asian population, as well as cross-cultural comparisons, for further explorations in health, behavioral and epidemiological research and practice.

A new paradigm of moral education and civic engagement? A sociological institutionalist interpretation of multiculturalism among Taiwanese youth

ABSTRACT Sociological Institutionalists of education suggest that the first quarter of the 21st century has seen a paradigm shift in moral education worldwide toward depicting global citizenship as rooted in social diversity and common humanity, going beyond the locally focused interests of nation-states. Within the context of the ongoing nation building process in the self-governing territory of Taiwan in the past two decades, this study offers a telling example of the dynamics between the cosmopolitan turn in curriculum reforms and the parallel socio-political realities. Drawing on a large group of university students (N = 1,020) from Taiwan, this paper offers an empirical perspective regarding how multiculturalism promotes civic and political participation as a process of global citizenship making. The indirect effects through the mediating variables of political self-efficacy and trust in the democratic system have also shed some light on how the process works on certain individual and social conditions.

Relationships between Food Insecurity, Self-Efficacy, and Changes in Body Mass Index among the Youth in Taiwan: Analysis from a Longitudinal Cohort Survey.

Food insecurity is a heightened concern among economically disadvantaged youth, and it may contribute to the atypical body mass index (BMI) patterns frequently observed in this group. Self-efficacy seems to intervene in the negative impacts of contextual restraints. This study investigated the relationship between food insecurity, self-efficacy, and BMI trajectory among economically disadvantaged Taiwanese youth. We utilized three-wave longitudinal data from the Taiwan Database of Children and Youth in Poverty. The Food Insecurity Score (FIS) assessed food insecurity with a 4-item scale measuring reduced meal frequency, hunger, skipping meals, and economic constraints. Moreover, the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) assessed self-efficacy, showcasing the ability to handle stress effectively and envision success scenarios, contributing to positive outcomes. By employing latent growth modeling, we were able to delineate the impacts of baseline food insecurity and self-efficacy on initial BMI and its subsequent growth trajectory. Elevated baseline FIS significantly predicted higher initial BMI (coefficient = 0.420, p = 0.042). Baseline GSES was negatively associated with initial BMI (coefficient = -0.093, p < 0.001) but positively predicted the BMI growth rate (coefficient = 0.023, p = 0.011). Enhancing self-efficacy may be an effective multidisciplinary intervention to address psychosocial and socioeconomic factors when tackling weight problems in vulnerable youth groups.

The effect of positive inter-group contact on cooperation: the moderating role of individualism.

The effect of intergroup contact on cooperation is well documented, but little is known about the cultural moderators of this relationship. Contributing to the literature, we examined whether cultural orientation moderates the effect of positive intergroup contact on cooperation and places emphasis on individualism. By creating a gamecooperation situation by the trust game paradigm, 322 Taiwanese youth were involved in the study and completed the positive intergroup contact scale, individual-collectivism scale, and social distance scale. (1) positive intergroup contact effectively promotes cooperative behavior; (2) Taiwanese youth who have closer social distance with mainland youth demonstrate higher levels of cooperative behavior after group interactions than larger social distance; and (3) individualism has a significant moderating role in the relationship between positive inter-group contact and cooperation. The effect of positive inter-group contact on cooperation became stronger in the less individualistic group. The effect of social distance on cooperation became stronger in the less individualistic group.Cultural orientation represented by individualism is proved to be one moderato of the intergroup contact-cooperation relationship.

BDNF Val66Met polymorphism moderates negative symptom expression of bully victimization through resilience in Taiwanese youth

ABSTRACT Bully victimization is known to cause adverse psychological outcomes; however, resilience may mitigate the more adverse effects. Little is known regarding the role played by BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in youth resilience against psychological harm caused by bully victimization. In this cross-sectional study, a community sample of 598 participants (M age = 20.1 ± 1.4 years, 48.8% males) completed the questionnaire on bully victimization, resilience, and psychological symptoms. Salivary genomic DNA was genotyped for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. A path analysis was used to test the mediating role of resilience in the association between bully victimization and psychological symptoms. Furthermore, the BDNF genotype was added to the model to explore its moderating effects on the mediating role of resilience in the path with 5000 bootstrapped samplings using SPSS PROCESS Macro. Results revealed a significant indirect effect via resilience that accounted for 17.2% of the association between bully victimization and psychological symptoms. While the Val66Met polymorphism interacted with bully victimization to predict resilience scores, bully victimization was more strongly associated with poor resilience (F = 4.59, p = 0.03) in subjects with the Met/Met genotype (β=-3.22, p < 0.001), as compared to participants with other genotypes (β=-1.33, p = 0.051). Findings suggest a gene-environment interaction effect on psychological resilience in bully-victimized youth.

Understanding the Dynamics of Unwanted Online Sexual Solicitation Among Youth in Taiwan: Vulnerability and Resilience Factors.

The rise in online sexual exposure and solicitation among youth has heightened concerns. Youth, due to their limited socio-cognitive capacity, face greater risks of online sexual victimization compared to adults. Unwanted online sexual solicitation (UOSS) is a concerning aspect of sexual victimization, encompassing requests for unwanted sexual talks, activities, and sharing personal sexual information or images online. This study, based on target congruence theory, examined UOSS risk and protective factors using a national-representative youth sample in Taiwan. In 2020, 19,556 students (Grades 5-12, average age 15, 50% male) participated in the school-based online survey. Hierarchical linear regression was used to determine the significance of UOSS predictors. Findings revealed a 15.4% prevalence of UOSS. Accounting for age and gender, target-vulnerability variables (self-esteem, bullying victimization, psychological distress) and target-gratifiability variables (online self-disclosure, time spent online) significantly linked to UOSS. Youth who were bullied, had greater psychological distress and online self-disclosure, and increased Internet use were prone to UOSS, while self-esteem mitigated risks. Bullying victimization and online self-disclosure were the strongest correlates of UOSS in Taiwan's youth, followed by psychological distress, Internet usage, and self-esteem. In sum, this study enriches the understanding of UOSS among Taiwanese youth and suggests strategies to prevent online sexual victimization. Enhancing self-esteem, promoting social media education including online privacy and self-disclose, tackling bullying, addressing psychological distress, and furnishing relevant services are crucial preventive measures. These findings offer guidance to parents, educators, and health professionals for supervising and steering adolescents' online conduct, presenting an evidence-based framework to avert online sexual victimization.

Correlates of disordered eating and insulin restriction behavior and its association with psychological health in Taiwanese youths with diabetes mellitus

BackgroundAdolescents and young adults (AYAs) with diabetes mellitus (DM) are prone to eating disorders that may worsen metabolic control. This study investigated the clinical and behavioral correlates of disordered eating and insulin restriction (DE/IR) behavior and its association with psychological health among AYAs with DM.MethodsWe enrolled patients with DM aged 10–30 years receiving insulin treatment in a tertiary medical center from 2019 to 2021. After obtaining informed consent, we assessed various visit-to-visit HbA1c measures indicating glycemic control, DE/IR behavior using the modified SCOFF questionnaire, weight-control practices (e.g., self-medication, induced vomiting, and over-exercising), and anxious and depressive symptoms using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were applied to understand the clinical and behavioral correlates of DE/IR behavior and its association with anxiety and depression.ResultsAmong the 110 patients with type 1 and type 2 DM recruited, we found 17.6% restricting insulin use and 6.3% self-medicating for weight control (higher in type 2 DM than type 1 DM). Hierarchical regression analyses showed HbA1c standard deviation (odds ratio = 2.18, [95% confidence interval 1.07–4.42]), body image (1.83, [1.05–3.20]), and dieting (4.74, [1.70–13.23]) associated with DE/IR behavior. Moreover, DE/IR behavior was further associated with anxiety (1.17 [1.08–1.27]) and depression (1.12 [1.03–1.22]).ConclusionDE/IR behavior is not uncommon among AYAs with DM, particularly those with type 2 DM, and may be associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms. In addition, HbA1c variability is correlated with DE/IR behavior, and the clinical implications need further exploration.

Guideline-Adherent Hypertension in Children and Adolescents: A Multi-Institutional Database Analysis from Taiwan.

Childhood-onset hypertension is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and adult mortality. This study aimed to assess guideline-adherent hypertension among Taiwanese youth and the agreement on hypertension between the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines and the 2004 Fourth Report. In this cross-sectional study, we collected outpatient blood pressure (OBP) measurements obtained during routine care visits from a large healthcare delivery system between 2009 and 2018 to evaluate the rate of guideline-adherent hypertension and assess patient-related factors of pediatric hypertension. In total, 12,469 children and adolescents who underwent three separate ≥3 OBP measurements over 33,369 person-years with a total of 95,608 BP measurements in an outpatient setting were analyzed. According to the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines, the rate of pediatric hypertension in the study setting, which included participants aged 1 to 17 years, ranged from 0.78 to 5.95 per 1000 persons. Although there was perfect agreement between the thresholds of the two guidelines for defining hypertension in the age groups of 1-7, 8-12, and 13-17 years (all κ statistic ≥ 0.85), the use of the AAP threshold classified more adolescents as having hypertension. Children and adolescents with hypertension often had complex chronic diseases and required substantial healthcare services in outpatient, emergency, and inpatient settings. The present study provides evidence of guideline-adherent pediatric hypertension and highlights the importance of regularly monitoring blood pressure to identify and manage hypertension in children and adolescents. Further research is required to determine the impact of new thresholds on the detection of target organ damage at a pediatric age.

Ten years' trend analysis for Taiwanese youth high school students’ health behaviors

To delineate the 10 years' trend regarding Taiwanese adolescents' health perspectives and compare the differences of six adolescent health aspects between Taiwan and the U.S. The anonymous structured questionnaire was done every other year with representative sampling methods as Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System in the United States. Twenty-one questions from six health aspects were extracted for further analysis. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to delineate the relationship among protective factors and risk-taking behaviors, respectively. Overall, 22,419 adolescents were recruited. There were decreasing trend in terms of risk-taking behaviors, such as early contact to pornography (< age 16) (70.6%-60.9%), early cigarette use (< age 13) (20.7%-14.0%), and seriously considering suicide (36.0%-17.8%). There was an increasing trend in behaviors harmful to health: current alcohol drinkers (18.9%-23.4%), and staying up late every day (15.2%-18.5%). Multivariate regression analysis after adjusting gender and grade; it disclosed an increasing trend in protective assets, such as having multiple intimate friends (75.8%-79.3%), satisfaction to body weight and body shape (31.5%-36.1% and 34.5%-40.7%), as well as always wearing a helmet while riding a bike (1.8%-3.0%). We should continuously monitor the health status trend of the adolescents to provide them with a healthier environment and well-being.

The relationships among Taiwanese youth's polychronicity, multitasking behavior and perceived learning performance in online learning.

The advancement of digital technology implies the importance of polychronic learning. Since polychronicity is not equivalent to multitasking behavior, they need to be considered separately. However, less research has been explored on how polychronicity is related to multitasking behavior in the educational field. To explore the relationships among polychronicity, multitasking behavior and learning performance (including knowledge acquisition and learning satisfaction) in an online learning environment. The relationship among variables was analyzed from 865 responses obtained from a questionnaire survey, and independent sample t tests and SEM analysis were used to examine the research hypotheses. College students showed a higher frequency of multitasking behavior, time tangibility and scheduling preference, and learning satisfaction in multitasking online learning environments than high school students. Additionally, college students were different from high school students on the paths of involvement with people to multitasking behavior (Δ χ 2= 5.42, p = 0.02) and scheduling preference to learning satisfaction (Δχ 2 = 9.54, p = 0.002). The relationship among polychronicity, multitasking behavior and perceived learning performance in an online learning environment varies by student educational stage.

Latent Classes of Self-Concept, Self-Efficacy, and Life Satisfaction in Economically Disadvantaged Taiwanese Youths

Latent Classes of Self-Concept, Self-Efficacy, and Life Satisfaction in Economically Disadvantaged Taiwanese Youths

EXAMINING MENTAL ILLNESS STIGMA, HELP-SEEKING AMONG TAIWANESE YOUTHS: PERPETUATED BY CONVENTIONAL PUBLIC VIEWS AND TRANSFORMED BY CHANGING SOCIAL VALUES

To protect youths with mental distress, it is important to understand their help-seeking behaviors, explore potential help sources, and examine factors that deter them from seeking help, such as negative perceptions towards mental illness. In the current study, quantitative data was collected to examine mental illness stigma of Taiwanese college students. Students’ help-seeking behaviors were also assessed both quantitatively and qualitatively. A psychoeducational program on mental illness stigma reduction was implemented. The results showed that the participants had a moderately low level of mental illness stigma. The proposed intervention did not significantly reduce overall mental illness stigma. However, the intervention significantly decreased participants’ inclination to avoid people with mental illness. Generally, the participants scored moderate on willingness to seek help. The qualitative analysis indicated that although subscribing to the conventional stigmatizing belief of avoiding the mentally ill, Taiwanese youths have gradually abandoned the Chinese tradition of associating shame with counselling.

중국의 통일정책에 대한 대만인의 인식

The purpose of this paper is to study China’s unification policy study and to study Taiwan's response and changes in Taiwan’s youth’s perception of unification. The conclusion of the study is that China's unification policy is “Anti- Independence &amp; Promoting Unification”, and for this purpose, military and diplomatic pressure and economic and social inducement tactics are used. In response, Taiwan was evaluated to respond with international support and cooperation while emphasizing its status as a sovereign independent country, and to respond with a “Resisting China &amp; Protecting Taiwan” strategy against China and protecting Taiwan, dismissing it as China's Unified Front Strategy. In this process, Taiwanese youth's perception of unification is particularly increasing compared to the elderly, showing a clear trend of ‘De-Chineseization’, which shows a growing reluctance to reunification.

The genesis of Taiwanese piano art: historical and cultural context

Introduction. The article examines the origins of Taiwanese piano art, its evolution, the influence of national and numerous non-national musical traditions. Until today, no special study devoted to the general panorama of these important processes has been created. The general picture of the formation and development of Taiwanese musical culture in the context of the political, economic and social situation is considered. The purpose of the article is to highlight the origins of Taiwanese piano art, which influenced its evolution, the process of introducing national and numerous non-national elements at the main stages of its formation and development. With the help of analytical, historical, comparative, interdisciplinary methods of research, a number of tasks are solved: the role of Western Christian missionaries in the development of musical education and piano art on the island is determined, the reasons why the Western classical music was accepted by the local society, the questions about the founders of the system of Western of classical music education, the programs and forms of learning in the first music schools in Taiwan, the names of the first Taiwanese composers-pianists are clarified; а periodization of the development of piano art in Taiwan is proposed. Results. The most important historical stages of the formation and development of Taiwanese piano art can be considered: – the period of its creation from the end of the 16th century to 1894; – the period of Japanese colonial rule from 1895 to 1945; – the period of development of national self-awareness, 1946–1986; – the period of reunification with mainland China from 1987. The proposed periodization makes it possible to reveal the entire historical and cultural context of the existence of piano art in Taiwan, to project its genetic settings for further stages of its development. Its basis was national folklore, but since the middle of the 16th century, the island was visited by Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and Canadian colonists, and the first contacts of Western music with the indigenous population of Taiwan were made thanks to the activities of Western missionaries and were subordinated mainly to religious purposes. The stage of Japanese colonial rule was important for the development of piano art on the island. Due to the influence of Japan, Taiwanese musicians had further opportunities to join the system of Western classical music education, as the Japanese government was helping Taiwanese youth to obtain it. After 1920, Western classical music becomes popular in Taiwan; the formation of composer creativity in the field of piano music also takes place – the activities of such Taiwanese composers and pianists as Chiang Wen-Yeh, Chen Sizhi, Kuo Chih-Yuan, Kao Tzu-Mei and others. In the years 1946–1986, we observe the further development of performing and teaching activities at the island, a bright burst of creativity by such composers as Chang-Hui Hsu, Hsiao Tyzen, Shui-Long Ma and others. After 1987, active musical contacts between China and Taiwan contribute to the further progress of the island’s piano art. The piano works of Taiwanese composers Shih-Hui Chen, Fan-Ling Su, Chien-Yu Huang and others are widely popularized. In recent decades, the performing activities of Taiwanese pianists, represented in the international space by the names of Chien-Yu Huang, Yi Chih Lu, Chiu Tze Lin and many others, have become very active. Today, the piano art of Taiwan is the most important part of not only Chinese, but also world music culture. Conclusions. The study of the origins of the piano art of Taiwan, the periods of its development, ways of refracting different musical traditions will help to understand both the historical-theoretical and aesthetic-pedagogical and artistic significance of this phenomenon in musical art. The most important events in the social and cultural life of Taiwan, since the end of the 16th century, indirectly affected the development of national piano art, which underwent qualitative changes connected with the emergence of new musical forms and means of expression, the methods of using the national and Western compositional techniques. The prospect of further study of the topic consists in a more detailed study of the modern stage of developing piano art in Taiwan and clarifying the influence of its extensive genetic roots on the compositional and performing creativity of representatives of Taiwanese musical culture.

Population-attributable risk of psychiatric disorders for suicide among adolescents and young adults in Taiwan.

Youth suicide rates have increased markedly in some countries. This study aimed to estimate the population-attributable risk of psychiatric disorders associated with suicide among Taiwanese youth aged 10-24 years. Data were obtained from the National Death Registry and National Health Insurance (NHI) claims database between 2007 and 2019. Youth who died by suicide were included, and comparisons, 1:10 matched by age and sex, were randomly selected from the Registry for NHI beneficiaries. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate suicide odds ratios for psychiatric disorders. The population-attributable fractions (PAF) were calculated for each psychiatric disorder. A total of 2345 youth suicide and 23 450 comparisons were included. Overall, 44.8% of suicides had a psychiatric disorder, while only 7.9% of the comparisons had a psychiatric disorder. The combined PAF for all psychiatric disorders was 55.9%. The top three psychiatric conditions of the largest PAFs were major depressive disorder, dysthymia, and sleep disorder. In the analysis stratified by sex, the combined PAF was 45.5% for males and 69.2% for females. The PAF among young adults aged 20-24 years (57.0%) was higher than among adolescents aged 10-19 years (48.0%). Our findings of high PAF from major depressive disorder, dysthymia, and sleep disorder to youth suicides suggest that youth suicide prevention that focuses on detecting and treating mental illness may usefully target these disorders.

Dynamic weight status changes and peer lifestyles in early adolescence: A social network analysis on a longitudinal cohort of Taiwanese youth

BackgroundFriendship networks are relevant to adolescent weight status and lifestyle, but little is known about their relationship in an East Asian setting. Using a longitudinal cohort of Taiwanese adolescents, we studied how weight status and lifestyles might influence friendship. Simultaneously considering the influence of friendship networks, we further examined the effects of peers’ lifestyles on the body weight status of adolescents. MethodsData were retrieved from the first three waves of the Taiwan Youth Project (N = 2409; 51 % boys). Participants were asked to nominate their friends at school and to report their lifestyle factors (e.g. sleep habits, internet use, and athletic performance). Weight status was proxied by body mass index calculated from self-reported weight and height. Stochastic actor-based modeling was used for the friendship network analyses. ResultsConsidering network structure, adolescents selected friends based on similarities in weight status (β = 0.147 [standard error = 0.044], p < 0.001) and lifestyle factors, such as athletic performance (β = 0.181 [0.034], p < 0.001), internet use (β = 0.156 [0.039], p < 0.001), and social jetlag (β = 0.055 [ ± 0.022], p < 0.05). In the behavior dynamics model, we did not observe any peer influence on changes in adolescents’ weight status. ConclusionThese findings suggest a pervasive homophilic friendship selection explained by weight and lifestyle-based similarities, despite no evidence of peer influence on weight status. Stakeholders and care providers of adolescent health should be aware of the social network processes that underlie weight problems.

Relationship Between Weight Status and Self-Image Mediated by Pubertal Timing and Athletic Competence: A Cohort Study With Taiwanese Adolescents.

BackgroundSelf-image reflects overall self-acceptance in developing adolescents. Using a representative cohort of Taiwanese youth, this study aims to explore the relationship between weight status, pubertal timing, athletic competence, and adolescent self-image.MethodsData come from the Taiwan Youth Project that comprised a longitudinal cohort of adolescents (N = 2690, 51% males, Mage = 13.3 ± 0.5 years) surveyed annually from seventh grade. Self-image was measured by perceived satisfaction with appearance and physique. Weight status was proxied by self-reported body mass index (BMI; kg/m2). Pubertal timing was defined using the Pubertal Developmental Scale, which mainly measured physical changes in puberty. Athletic competence was assessed by experiences with participation in competitive sports and self-perceived talent for sports. Linear regression analysis was applied to test for an association between BMI and self-image. In order to test for mediating roles of pubertal timing and athletic competence, Hayes' PROCESS macro on SPSS was conducted applying 5,000 bootstrap resamples with 95% confidence intervals of the indirect effect.ResultsBMI was inversely associated with self-image in both males (β = −0.074, [−0.095, −0.053]) and females (β = −0.095, [−0.122, −0.069]). The boot-strapped 95% confidence intervals indicated statistically significant mediating effects of pubertal timing (β = −0.008, [−0.015, −0.001]) and athletic competence (β = −0.006, [−0.011, −0.002]) in the link between BMI and self–image in females, whilst only athletic competence mediated this association (β = −0.006, [−0.009, −0.002]) in males. Moreover, BMI at baseline were also associated with long-term self-image in males (β = −0.037, [−0.057, −0.017]) and females (β = 0.132, [0.073, 0.190]).ConclusionsUnderstanding the mediating factors may help enhance adolescents' self-image by providing guidance on healthy weight and physical activity behaviors according to different stages of pubertal progression.