Youth In Poland Research Articles

Changes in the Religiosity of Secondary School Youth in Poland. A Sociological Analysis

Wyniki badań socjologicznych dotyczących przemian religijności wskazują na głębsze zmiany, jakie dokonują się w tej sferze w ostatnich latach. Warto więc zwrócić uwagę na przemiany religijne młodzieży, gdyż mogą być one traktowane jako swoistego rodzaju barometr zapowiadający przyszłe trendy rozwojowe. W artykule została ukazana religijność młodzieży maturalnej w Puławach. Materiał empiryczny wykorzystany do analiz socjologicznych został zebrany podczas badań ankietowych przeprowadzonych w latach 1994, 2009, 2016 oraz 2021, w tych samych puławskich szkołach ponadpodstawowych, za pomocą tego samego kwestionariusza ankiety pt. „Maturzyści a wartości moralne”. Artykuł jest próbą odpowiedzi na pytanie badawcze, jakie zmiany dokonały się na przestrzeni blisko 30 lat w religijności ankietowanej młodzieży, jaki przybierają one kierunek, a także jakie jest tempo tych przemian. Do nakreślenia religijności młodzieży maturalnej zostały wybrane następujące wskaźniki: autodeklaracje wyznaniowe i religijne, praktyki religijne, zaangażowanie religijne.

Motivations of Volunteering during Crises—Perspectives of Polish Youths during the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis

Volunteering work has always played a key role in dealing with crises around the world. Understanding the motivations behind volunteering during a crisis could not only explain such behaviour but also become a guide for the government for future policies, to non-governmental organizations for attracting and recruiting more volunteers, for companies to attract and engage young talent and for society to encourage volunteering more. The present military conflict between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in an influx of over six million Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Given the phenomenal response of Polish people towards welcoming the Ukrainian refugees and, in general, the favourable attitude of the youth in Poland towards extending humanitarian aid to them, our present study examines the motivations of Polish youths behind volunteering during crises. The study also examined how volunteering has influenced their lives and future, besides understanding the barriers to volunteering. The research participants were Polish youths aged between 17–30 years of age. The participants were from both genders, students as well as working professionals. To take part, they had to prove that they took an active role in volunteering during a crisis and were able to share their personal stories and emotions in English. The findings of the research revealed normative, hedonic, eudaimonic and personal motivators behind volunteering during crises, with greater dominance of hedonic motivators, followed by normative, then eudaimonic and personal motivators. The influence of a mix of collectivist and individualistic cultures of Poland, with a progressive lean towards individualism, is clear in shaping the motivations behind the volunteering of these Polish youths. The role of intrinsic motivation is more pronounced when it comes to volunteering during crises.

The Evolution of the Process of Military Education of Youth in Poland. Observations From Reading the Monograph “Military Education of Youth: On the Ground of Theory and Experience” by Ilona Urych and Andrzej Mocarski

The Evolution of the Process of Military Education of Youth in Poland. Observations From Reading the Monograph “Military Education of Youth: On the Ground of Theory and Experience” by Ilona Urych and Andrzej Mocarski

Nutritional and Lifestyle Factors Determining the Problem of Overweight and Obesity Among Teenagers and Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Comparative Survey Study Among Poles and Belarusians

Abstract Introduction: The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide, especially among youth. The main cause of obesity in young people is a combination of excessive caloric intake and reduced physical activity. In addition to individual dietary and physical activity behaviors, genetic predisposition, socioeconomic and environmental factors, and comorbidities may contribute to obesity. Aim: The study aims to examine and compare the factors determining food preferences and habits as well as the occurrence of overweight and obesity among teenagers and youth in Poland and Belarus. Material and methods: An anonymous questionnaire consisting of 58 questions based on the Eating Behavior Questionnaire (QEB) was used. Responses were received from 700 young people from Poland and 690 from Belarus, some of whom were rejected. The data was collected in May and June 2021 and analyzed in the Statistica program (statistically significant results at p<0.05). The research was financed by a grant from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange. Results: The study group was divided into four groups in terms of age and nationality: Poles <20 years old (428 people), Belarusians <20 years old (222 people), Poles 20-29 years old (210 people), and Belarusians 20-29 years old (295 people ). The correct BMI had 66.7%, 74.3%, 70.7%, and 71.2% of the respondents, respectively (p=0.057; p=0.888). In both age groups, in the Mann-Whitney U test, there are significant differences in the number of meals per day (p<0.001) - Poles eat 4 or 5 meals a day more often, and Belarusians 3. In the chi-square test, both age groups showed a significant statistical difference (p<0.001) in the question about eating breakfast every day - Poles eat breakfast more often than Belarusians. The Mann-Whitney U test showed no differences in sleep duration between the respondents from both countries (p=0.453; p=0.905). Conclusions: The results of the research indicate a strong need to implement educational programs to raise the awareness among young people about healthy eating. Obesity, skipping breakfast, too few meals during the day, and their incorrect composition indicate the direction of pro-health policy, which will be conducive to making the right food choices for youth.

Opting out of Religious Education and the Religiosity of Youth in Poland: A Qualitative Analysis

For several years now, a large number of secondary school students in Poland have given up Religious Education. The basic hypothesis is that the religiosity of young people is the main correlate with the abandoning of religion classes. In order to analyze this phenomenon, qualitative research was carried out in the form of in-depth interviews with secondary school students who had opted out of religion classes. The interviews were conducted in January and February 2022, with 29 students of randomly selected general secondary schools from various cities of Poland who had opted out of Religious Education. The technique called computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) was used. Young people were first asked about their reasons for giving up Religious Education, and then about their religiosity. The 16 questions in the interviews were divided into the following groups: attitude to Religious Education at school; and attitude to faith and religious practices, with reference to the Church and Catholic morality. These studies have shown that an increasing percentage of young people do not identify with the Catholic Church and do not want to participate in confessional Catholic Religious Education. The main conclusion of the study is to rethink the current concept of Religious Education in Poland so that it will be more open to students with different religious beliefs and worldviews.

Anna Frajlich: Departures, Returns, Memory

Anna Frajlich: Departures, Returns, Memory

Weight status of rural school youth in Poland: secular change 1986-2016.

The objective of this study was to evaluate secular changes in the Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight status of rural children and adolescents in west-central Poland across decennial surveys spanning 1986 and 2016. Participants were 8,677 boys and girls 7-15 years attending schools in 10 rural communities in 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2016. Heights and weights were measured; BMIs were calculated. Weight status was classified using International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria. The sample was partitioned into three age groups (7-9, 10-12, 13-15 years) for analysis of secular change in the BMI using sex-specific analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with age and age2 as covariates, and for comparison of the prevalence of mild, moderate and severe thinness and of overweight and obesity. BMIs increased, on average, across the four surveys, but differences between adjacent surveys varied. Prevalence of severe and moderate thinness was low in both sexes, while mild thinness tended to decline over time, more so among girls. Overweight and obesity increased over time, especially in 2006 and 2016 compared to 1986 and 1996. In conclusion, secular changes in the BMI between 1986 and 2016 were significant. Age-adjusted mean BMIs suggested a gradient, 2016 > 2006 > 1996 > 1986, except in girls 13-15 years. However, changes across the decennial surveys varied. The observed changes in overweight and obesity between 1986 and 2016 were consistent with studies in Poland spanning the past two generations.

Dialogue and social participation in the context of education and development of youth in Poland

Background: The development of civil society is based on dialogue and participation. Young people are characterized by low interest in social activity and building a civil society, therefore it seems crucial to look at what education for participation looks like. 
 Objectives: The authors considered the issue of dialogue and social participation in the context of education and development of young Poles. The authors drew attention to the forms and importance of civic dialogue, as well as diagnosed the goals, functions and deficits of civic education.
 Methodology: The topic was presented on the basis of the literature on the subject, the results of sociological research and hard data on the forms and scale of civic involvement in Poland, especially in Warsaw. Data analysis in the form of desk research was used.
 Results: Research by CBOS and KBPN shows that only 40% of young people who could take part in the 2018 elections for the first time in their lives intended to exercise their right. Also in the parliamentary elections in 2019, the youngest eligible respondents voted least frequently. Young Poles significantly less often than adults in general show involvement in the affairs of the local community, and are also characterized by an above-average lack of trust in others and increasing individualism. 
 Conclusions: Civic involvement of young Poles and their participation in building a civic society are low and are accompanied by a high level of individualism combined with a lack of trust in others. Therefore, a more effective education for participation seems to be of key importance. Examples of good practice in this area, although still carried out on a small scale, are classes conducted for students in the field of public transport and tools for social participation developed and used by some local governments, such as the Civic Budget or Local Initiative.

THE CULTURE OF COMMUNICATIVE PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH IN POLAND, ARMENIA AND RUSSIA FOR THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT: RESEARCH RESULTS

The subject of the study is the impact of the development of information and communication technologies, the digitalization of social space on the culture of social participation of young people in post-communist countries (Poland, Armenia and the Russian Federation). The central concept of the implemented research is that today's youth, who have ample opportunities for social participation in the development of the territory of their residence, are poorly included in these processes due to the uneven formation of a culture of information participation. On the basis of a comparative analysis of the results of a sociological study of student youth in Poland, Armenia and Russia, the national specificity in the formation of a culture of information participation of students in the development of cities is shown, general factors determining the level of this participation are identified. Based on the results of the study, the authors proposed a classification of the levels of youth participation in the information promotion of their city: zero, elementary, advanced and professional.

Outreach Practices of Public Employment Services Targeted at NEET Youth in Poland

This paper contributes to our understanding of whether, and if so, how public employment services in Poland are attempting to reach young NEETs, and whether they fail or succeed in their efforts. The study shows that most NEETs below 25 years of age in Poland, including rural NEETs, remain beyond the reach of the PES registers. The coverage rate is particularly low amongst those individuals who are outside the labor force. Effective outreach strategies may prevent them from moving into long-term inactivity. The study shows that the PES offices do not cooperate closely with local institutions: moreover, they use methods for approaching the hardest-to-reach individuals and residents of remote areas infrequently. The article discusses the obstacles to the effective functioning of the PES, the factors that contribute to the PES’ successes and failures, and the consequences for young NEETs of remaining outside of institutional support systems.

Entrepreneurial Competencies in Research Based on EntreComp Among Student Youth in Poland

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to assess the level of creativity and the ability of student youth to spot business generate, assess and develop business with ethical and sustainable thinking approach - as important part of entrepreneurial competencies crucial in the process of innovative business venture creation. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research was conducted in 2020 on students’ groups studying at three different universities in Poland in South-Eastern Poland. The survey with use of questionnaire was conducted according to EntreComp Framework in the area of “ideas and opportunities”. Findings: The overall results are optimistic as the youth surveyed feel innovative, curious, open and able to recognize the value of that are promising traits for their future business creation. The results show that the surveyed youth was differentiated in the competency's assessment regarding the field of study and university, study degree, gender, professional situation and place of residence. Practical Implications: Research enabled to examine entrepreneurial competencies among student youth and form recommendations for focusing in educating student youth in the area of developing that create value for others, sharing and protecting ideas, and uncovering needs and strengthening efforts in order to drive sustainable thinking. Originality/value: The originality of the research is based on the use of the EntreComp methodology, which allows to diagnose and then develop key competencies for the development of entrepreneurship according to the framework promoted by European Commission. The added value of the research is elaboration of the synthetic index ideas and opportunities, which allows a joint assessment of the individual competences included in this area.

The prevalence of waterpipe tobacco smoking among Polish youths.

IntroductionWaterpipe smoking is gaining popularity among the youth in Poland and is evaluated for the first time in this work. The authors address the social and demographic factors that motivate young people to smoke and attempt to determine which of them contribute to habit formation.Material and methodsThe data were collected among school and university students in Poland during a global survey on various forms of tobacco use. Multivariable regression models were applied for odds-ratio evaluation. The data concern waterpipe and cigarette smoking habits.ResultsThe survey was completed by 19,097 respondents. The survey included 144 schools and 32 universities from 16 voivodeships in Poland. Respondent gender exhibited the highest ORs (95% Cl), both in the case of current and ever WP users: 2.11 (2.10–2.12) and 2.16 (2.15–2.17), respectively. The other important factor was a place of living: 1.83 (1.82–1.84) and 2.17 (2.16–2.18), respectively. All ORs were statistically significant for p = 0.05.ConclusionsThe prevalence of tobacco smoking among Polish youths is high. Waterpipe tobacco smoking was found to be the second most popular habit after cigarette smoking. Moreover, young smokers use other non-tobacco products in waterpipes, and drink alcohol during smoking sessions. Many young people try waterpipe smoking without previous experience with cigarettes.

Parafia rzymskokatolicka w świadomości młodzieży polskiej przełomu wieków. Badania socjologiczne z lat 1988–2018

In this paper I present a widely understood attitude of gymnasium, high school and academic youth in Poland in the two last decades of the 20th century and both first decades of the 21st century towards the Roman-catholic parish as a church institition and a socio-religious community of secular Catholics. The basis for the presented issues is being made by the research outcome of various sociologists of religion undertaken in the mentioned time frame. The main issue is being made here by the general question – how did shape in this time frame the attitude of the youth towards the Roman-catholic parish? The goal of this paper is to present the declaration of the youth related to the attitude towards the home parish. The presented investigations use the method of the analysis of in situ data and a comparison of various related research.

Wybrane predyktory zachowań suicydentalnych młodzieży w Polsce

Zachowania suicydentalne stanowią coraz większy problem zarówno w Polsce, jak i innych krajach. W ostatnich dekadach obserwuje się dynamiczny wzrost liczby prób samobójczych i samobójstw w grupie młodzieży. Z powodu zmian rozwojowych zachodzących w organizmie człowieka w okresie adolescencji jest on bardziej niż osoba dorosła predysponowany do wystąpienia zachowań suicydentalnych. Istnieją jednak trudności w precyzyjnym określeniu predyktorów czynów samobójczych. Depresja, lęk, stosowanie substancji psychoaktywnych oraz zaburzenia odżywiania stanowią istotne czynniki ryzyka śmierci samobójczej, jednak mogą one również współwystępować z innymi predyktorami psychopatologicznymi, socjologicznymi oraz psychicznymi. W celu skutecznej prewencji tego niepokojącego zjawiska konieczna jest większa wrażliwość zespołów medycznych, szczególnie oddziałów ogólnopediatrycznych, a także powszechna świadomość ryzyka zachowań suicydentalnych wśród młodzieży. To zadanie wielopłaszczyznowe dla całego środowiska medycznego, a nie jedynie domena psychologów oraz psychiatrów. Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie problematyki wybranych przyczyn zachowań suicydentalnych młodzieży, takich jak: depresja, lęk, stosowanie substancji psychoaktywnych i zaburzenia odżywiania, na podstawie analizy doniesień naukowych z obszaru suicydologii.

Rebellion of School-Age Youth in Poland

In the article below I explore the level of rebellion of modern youth, in the context of various ways of adapting to school and being a student. For research purposes I use an author’s fivestage scale to measure student strategies. I developed the scale based on the model of adaptation by R. K. Merton. The study involves a group of 656 students aged 13–17 in Poland, and the analysis presented is part of a larger project on youth adaptation strategies. From all the answers provided, I select those relating to rebellion strategies. The results obtained show the average level of rebellion in the study group: means for rebellion statement range from 2.542 to 3.465 on a scale of 1 to 5. Many students feel a high level of satisfaction when they can point out mistakes to their teacher and want to speak their mind regarding school rules. However, generally this result shows that the statistical research subject has a rather neutral or positive attitude towards the goals pursued by the school. Findings indicate general approval within the tested population for entering into discussion with the teacher when the student feels the need or duty to defend his or her opinion but the mean for the statement referring to radical changes in the school indicates a relatively low need to completely change the existing school order.

Reclassification to another sport using FC Berlin as an example

Education through sport is widely discussed in world literature. Sport theorists emphasize the importance of the long-term process of training a player for many years as a hierarchically complex system-structured task. Nevertheless, practical actions which are taken often differ from theoretical recommendations. In many countries due to cultural, technological or financial conditions, various systems of solutions are used. On the basis of direct observation in one of the German teams, the article attempts to discuss the benefits of retraining young athletes for another sport. These actions are taken systematically. In addition, reference was made to the dangers arising from the use of commercialized sports activities for children and youth in Poland. Bearing in mind both theoretical justifications and practical actions taken in the German team, one can observe the positive impact of correctly diagnosing the predisposition of children starting football training and retraining for other sports activities. In addition, based on the author's experience in training work in Germany, no negative impact on the functioning of sports training or education of such action through sport was observed.

Mental health of children and youth – examples of actions in the area of prevention and mental health promotion in Polish schools

The percentage of children and youth in Poland suffering from mental health disorders is significant. Studies and numerous reports on mental health problems in children and adolescents indicate that in recent years the depression has particularly affected people under 18 years of age. WHO data also emphasizes that adolescent suicide is the third cause of death in this age group. The factors determining mental health can be divided into biological and psychosocial. They depend on individual experiences with their families, peers, or schools, as well as on their genetic equipment and brain functions. The mental health situation of children and adolescents in Poland prompted doctors, psychologists, scientific communities, teachers and educators on the one hand to search, analyze and determine the causes of the problems and take action, on the other, to improve the psychophysical condition of young people. The protection of mental health of children and youth in Poland, prevention and promotion of health are recognized as a priority in the health protection policy.

Humanity on the Brink - Youth in Poland and Germany about Refugee Rights

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the presented paper, which has empirical nature, is to obtain data on how the rights of refugees are perceived today.
 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The research problem of the paper is: How do youth in Germany and Poland evaluate refugee rights and what factors influence their attitude towards refugee rights? The survey method was used in the research. The data collection took place 2013/2014. In Germany, the survey included a total of 2157 students, in Poland 1211 respondents.
 THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The study was based on the assumption that attitudes towards refugee rights are predicted by such factors as: human dignity, empathy, religious beliefs, and socio-political perceptions and convictions. Based on these determinants, a conceptual model was created and used in the research.
 RESEARCH RESULTS: The findings show that respondents differ regarding refugee rights. German youth show some support for refugee rights and Polish youth are ambivalent. The strongest predictor for support of refugee rights for both groups is the concept of multiculturalism. The capacity for empathy and an advocacy of a politically active Christianity are important predictors, but only for the German sample.
 CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The fact that religious beliefs have hardly positive impact on the support of refugee rights is a desideratum for religious education.

Wpływ uwarunkowań społecznych, ekonomicznych i zdrowotnych na wychowanie uczniów w okresie II Rzeczypospolitej na przykładzie Piotrkowa Trybunalskiego i powiatu piotrkowskiego

<p>W wyniku splotu szeregu różnych czynników, w tym aktywnej działalności całych pokoleń Polaków, jesienią w 1918 roku Polska odzyskała niepodległość. Sytuacja, zwłaszcza gospodarcza i zdrowotna, była jednak bardzo zła. W latach 1918–1939 następowały korzystne zmiany. Mimo to przez ten cały okres zwłaszcza sytuacja mieszkaniowa i żywieniowa większości społeczeństwa nie była zadowalająca. Szczególnie niekorzystnie oddziaływała ona na dzieci i młodzież. Dobrym przykładem jest tu Piotrków Trybunalski wraz z powiatem. W samym mieście większość mieszkańców żyła w jedno-, dwupokojowych ciasnych mieszkaniach, na ogół pozbawionych dostępu do sieci wodno-kanalizacyjnej, a większość najmłodszych była źle, niewłaściwie odżywiana, a nawet często niedożywiona. Jeszcze gorsza sytuacja pod tym względem była na terenie powiatu piotrkowskiego, zwłaszcza na wsi. Mówiąc o oświacie i wychowaniu dzieci oraz młodzieży w Polsce, w okresie między I a II wojną światową, należy na te trudne, ale ważne problemy zwracać dużą uwagę.</p>

Psychiatrization of, with and by children: Drawing a complex picture

When discussed in the context of diagnosing or medicating children, psychiatrization is usually portrayed as a more or less monolithic top-down process, which, according to some, enables a child’s right to health, while for others is a form of child abuse. This article challenges these conceptualizations in two steps: First, it draws on available literature on psychiatrization (including its top-down and bottom-up operations, and its ideological and material aspects), and its relationship to various psy-practices, and wider processes of (bio) medicalization, psychologization and reification. Second, using two detailed vignettes from ethnographic research with children and youth in Poland, the article demonstrates that children and youth are not necessarily passive recipients of psychiatrization as they themselves navigate, appropriate, resist, and transform top-down influences. While one vignette details a child’s more or less open resistance to psychiatrization through their attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder label, the other vignette shows young people embracing and positively identifying with bio and psy-knowledge in relation to depression. However, both vignettes show how children and youth make psychiatrization meaningful as it shapes their lifeworlds, with them sometimes becoming agents of psychiatrization themselves. Our data illustrate the nuances of psychiatrization of, with and by children, and we draw on this to complexify existing literature and framings of psychiatrization.