Secondary School Youth Research Articles

Strategies to promote safety for sexual and gender minority youth in secondary schools: A longitudinal analysis.

In order to promote school safety for sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY), many schools implement strategies such as SGM-focused policies and gender-sexuality alliances (GSAs). Little is known about the effects such strategies have over time on feelings of safety at school for SGMY. Hierarchical Linear Models were conducted using longitudinal data from 417 SGMY attending secondary schools to examine trajectories of feelings of safety and the effects of SGM-focused policies, GSA presence, or GSA membership on feelings of safety. Findings indicate that SGM-focused policies and GSAs had direct benefits for safety at school SGMY, both independently and in combination; however, GSA membership was not. Schools should implement a combination of school strategies to promote safer environments for SGMY.

Risky Sexual Behaviour and the Associated Factors Among Secondary School Youths in Khorixas, Namibia

Background: Like most African countries, Namibia has a large percentage of its population in the youthful age group, most of whom are in secondary school. In Namibia, the age of consent for sex is 16 years but, in most cases, children have their sexual debut way below the age of 16 years. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of risky sexual behaviour and the associated factors among secondary school youths aged 15-21 years in the Khorixas district of the Kunene Region in Namibia. Methods: This was a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study. A self-administered pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data from 276 learners, selected from three public schools in the Khorixas district employing a cluster sampling technique. Information on demographics and factors associated with risky sexual behaviour was gathered. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 software which included descriptive statistics generating frequencies and percentages. Results: The study revealed the prevalence of risky sexual behaviour among secondary school youths in Khorixas district, Kunene region of Namibia to be 78.9%. The risky sexual behaviour identified included multiple partners, nonuse of condoms and early sexual debut. Gender, place of residence, parental educational level, peer pressure, alcohol use/abuse, and watching pornographic content were some of the factors found to lead to risky sexual behaviour among the youths in this district of Namibia. Conclusion: Risky sexual behaviour is common in secondary schools in Khorixas district of Namibia. This sexual behaviour may follow these youngsters to adulthood and may significantly affect their social and reproductive life. Complications resulting from risky sexual behaviour among school youths include contracting STIs and HIV, getting unwanted/unplanned pregnancies and dropping out of school prematurely.

Integrating Strategies of Parental Care to Enhance Morality in the Youths in Secondary Schools Managed by the Catholic Diocese of Morogoro, Tanzania

Integrating Strategies of Parental Care to Enhance Morality in the Youths in Secondary Schools Managed by the Catholic Diocese of Morogoro, Tanzania

Perceived School Belonging Among Youth with Chronic Physical Illness.

In a sample of youth aged 10-16years with chronic physical illness, this study examined psychometric properties of a modified Psychological Sense of School Membership (m-PSSM) scale; described longitudinal trends in perceptions over 24months; and, identified factors associated with school belonging. Youth were recruited from a pediatric hospital in Canada. A total of 105 youth attended school in the past year and provided self-reports. The four-item m-PSSM had a unidimensional structure which was measurement invariant between youth in elementary (10-13years) versus secondary school (14-16years). Internal consistency was (ω > .80). There was no evidence that m-PSSM scores changed significantly over time (η2 = 0.05). Predictors of lower perceived school belonging were being in secondary school, having psychopathology, reporting lower quality of life in the domains of social support and school environment, experiencing peer victimization, and living in a community with higher residential instability and lower material deprivation.

In Their Own Words: LGBTQIA+ Stigma in Secondary School

LGBTQIA+ youth often face stigma from society as they develop their personal identities. In the United States, legislation has recently been focusing on reducing protections in schools for queer youth and limiting access to resources like gender affirming healthcare. Youth have increasingly been targeted for identifying as queer and have experienced verbal and physical violence for expressing their gender identities. Research links stigmatization with increased mental health and substance use problems. However, there is limited information on how stigma experienced during adolescence may continue to impact young adults over time. Using a qualitative retrospective framework, LGBTQIA+-identified undergraduates (N = 8) at a 4-year university participated in one-hour virtual focus groups. Data were recorded and anonymized using individual participant codes with names of people or places removed from transcripts. Students were asked to reflect on their experiences as queer youth in secondary school including access to resources; interactions with teachers, staff, and peers; recommendations for supporting LGBTQIA+ students; and personal coping skills. The researchers used a thematic analysis to examine key issues students raised. Results provide insight into the challenges LGBTQIA+ youth face and highlight the strengths of these college-age young adults.

Social Media and Body Image from the Perspective of Secondary School Youth

The study aimed to map the prevalence of social media disorder in secondary school youth. We used an abbreviated version of the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMD) and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-16B). The reliability of the questionnaires used in the research, indicates that they have sufficient internal consistency. A total of 637 re-respondents participated in the study. Their ages ranged from 15 to 19 years (AM=16.63). The results of the study showed social media impairment in 11.1% of the respondents, confirming a statistically significant difference in terms of the gender of the adolescents in favour of girls, and in terms of the degree of concern about their appearance, in favour of those who are more concerned about their appearance. Furthermore, a statistically significant difference in the degree of concern about their appearance in terms of gender, was confirmed in favour of girls.

Identity statuses and involvement of Polish secondary school youth in social media use

The formation of a person's identity is a continuous and dynamic process, occurring at every stage of our lives, although the most important and crucial period is adolescence, especially its second phase falling between the ages of 16/17-20. In the light of contemporary research, we know that identity is not a fixed construct, but is subject to dynamic transformations not only during adolescence, but also at subsequent stages of adulthood (Brzezińska & Piotrowski, 2017). Identity formation is subject to various influences, one of which is the use of social media. Therefore an extremely important research task should be the searching for links between young people's identity statuses and their activity on social networks. We know that today's young people use social networks to explore themselves, but also to express themselves. The researchers who undertook this issue were Mannerström et al. (2018). Their studies concerned the dependencies between social media use and identity statuses. There is still not enough empirical research focusing on exploring the relationship between adolescents' engagement in digital activity and their identity formation process. This article presents the results of research into understanding this relationship. In this study was applied a diagnostic survey method. The research consisted of anonymous paper-and-pencil surveys. The study was designed to answer the question of how the identity statuses of the studied adolescents are linked to their excessive use of social media portals. The results confirmed that adolescents who have ruminative exploration identity statuses use social media portals statistically significantly more excessively (harmfully) than students presenting other identity statuses.

Using the Socio-ecological Model to Explain the Findings of Prevalence and Demographic Correlates of Alcoholic Beverage Consumption among Adolescents in Public Schools in Uganda

INTRODUCTION: Consumption of alcohol among the youth could be attributable to socio-demographic characteristics. This paper anchors on the socio-ecological model to expound on the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of alcohol consumption among adolescents in public secondary schools. Specifically, the model was used to explore gender, religious affiliation, form or class of study, social media use, friendships, and involvement in places of entertainment as possible predictors of alcohol consumption. METHOD: Within the framework of the socio – ecological model, we employed a cross-sectional survey with quantitative methods to explore socio - ecological covariates of alcohol consumption among the youth in public secondary schools. The sample comprised 1819 participants, yielding a 91.8% response rate. Males were relatively more numerous (59.3%), and the mean age was 17.3 (SD = 1.9). Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were employed to deduce the association of selected demographics with the consumption of beer, wine, and spirits. RESULTS: The prevalence of alcohol consumption was generally high. Multivariate logistic regression showed a significant gender difference in the consumption of beer and spirits. Females had lower odds of consuming beer and spirits. Students in the Muslim and Pentecostal dominions were less likely to consume beer, wine, and spirits than their Roman Catholic and Anglican counterparts. Students in the Roman Catholic dominion had higher odds of consuming any type of alcohol compared to other religions. Loving to be in places of entertainment and the use of social media significantly predicted the consumption of beer, wine, and spirits. CONCLUSION: These results could bear importance in demanding benchmarking of ecologically specific advocacy against alcohol consumption in schools. Further, results imply that youth drinking regulatory frameworks may be inclusive of the alcohol industry, including not only the producers of alcohol but also a large network of distributors, wholesalers, bars, and advertisers. Interventions for in-school youth drinking may need to be developed by benchmarking with and involving institutions at different levels of the ecological model, such as religious institutions, healthcare services, media, and the village councils.

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.

THE PREVALENCE OF IDENTITY CRISIS AMONG YOUTHS AND SOCIAL WORKER INTERVENTION IN IKENNE LGA OF OGUN STATE

Identity crisis has become a global concern in recent years. Several authors have researched around the subject in the field of psychology, social works and public health. Currently, several studies are being conducted to discover new methods to handle the issue of identity crisis especially among youths in secondary schools. As a result, this paper appraises prevalence of identity crisis among youths in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. The paper adopted correlational survey design to appraise the pattern of relationship between self-efficacy, parental supports, peer influence, internet usage and sense of identity among youths. The paper studied two hundred and sixty youths (121 Males and 139 Females) between 15-25 years (x = 13.05 and SD = 14.2) were drawn from youths in Ikenne LGA using simple random sampling technique in four stages. Results showed that youth sense of identity has negative relationship with self-efficacy (r = -.441 and p<.05) and positive relationship with peer influence (r = .253 and p<.05). The was no significant relationship with parental supports and internet usage on identity crisis. Multiple regression analysis showed that independent variables contributed 21% of the variance in youth’s identity crisis. Self-efficacy was most potent (? = -409; t (258) = .6963; p<0.05) contributing in predicting identity crisis. The paper concluded that identity crisis is mostly prevalent among the youths in Ikenne due to parental neglect as a result of busy schedule at work. Also, social workers are suitable intermediaries between youths who have lost their identity and their self-discovery. The paper recommends that secondary school administration in Ikenne LGA should make efforts toward educating their students in aspect managing frustration and lack of concentration which are identified behaviours that affect the youths. Social workers should educate parents and caregivers on the causes and effects of identity crisis in other to help reduce the rate of occurrence among the youths.

Blending the Formal and Nonformal Educational Sectors: Creating a Shared Learning Initiative for Secondary School Teachers and Youth Workers

It has been widely argued that existing educational inequality and inequity was exacerbated when schools closed due to Covid-19. In addition, it is disadvantaged young people that are most likely to experience the most negative long-term impacts. Many of these young people were successfully engaged in the non-formal sector (i.e. youth work services) before and during the pandemic. This paper introduces Bridging Worlds, a new initiative, which brings together the formal and non-formal sectors in education to develop a new partnership and shared engagement framework to enhance educational outcomes and positive youth development. The project focuses on promoting knowledge, skills and awareness among teachers and youth workers of the formal and non-formal education sectors, using blended learning techniques and implementing a number of pro social youth programmes. It aims to create a strong sustaining connection across these sectors as a project legacy. This article describes the mixed methods approach used to track the implementation of the project across a six-month period, including pre and post survey data and from participating teachers and youth workers combined with qualitative interviews. Project feedback is discussed according to specific research questions. Recommendations are provided for the further development of the programme and for future research.

Family Dysfunction and Parental Role Abdication as Predisposing Factors for Drug Abuse Among Secondary School Adolescents and Youths in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria

Family Dysfunction and Parental Role Abdication as Predisposing Factors for Drug Abuse Among Secondary School Adolescents and Youths in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria

Youths as recipients and providers of agriculture information – the vertical vegetable gardening case in Busia County, Kenya

The intent of this study was to assess the feasibility of engaging youths in secondary schools in disseminating agricultural information among smallholder farmers using a five-month vertical vegetable gardening technology case in Busia County, Kenya. The research employed mixed research design targeting smallholder farmers and youths in secondary schools. A sample of 132 smallholder farmers and 132 youths in their first, second, and third years of study were selected to participate in the study at the baseline survey, during the intervention, and at the closure survey. The baseline survey was used to identify gaps, followed by participatory training intervention on the mound bed, primary tower, and second wall, to create awareness about vertical vegetable gardening through young farmers' clubs, and a closure survey to assess the change caused by the intervention and the feasibility of the approach. The study used kales, black nightshade, swiss chard, capsicum and carrots as examples of vegetables suitable for vertical gardens. Data was analyzed using the Wilcoxon sign-rank test at p0.05 level of significance, thematic and descriptive analysis. The results showed that there was a significant change in access and use of vertical gardening information by smallholder farmers. At P = 0.000, 22% of the smallholder farmers appreciated the use of vertical vegetable gardening at the closure survey, compared to 1% at the baseline survey. The dissemination of information through secondary school youths allowed for multiple delivery channels, was a good technology result demonstration approach for technology replication, and had sufficient agricultural extension activity learning scope. Significant change in the level of technology acceptance offer practical implications for policy makers to support the role of youths in agricultural extension. Future studies are needed to examine suitable agricultural extension policies and strategies to increase the successful implementation of agricultural extension through secondary schools.

Youth friendly reproductive health service utilization and its associated factors among secondary school students, East Belesa district, northwest, Ethiopia, 2022

BackgroundYouths are people aged between 15 and 24 years. Globally, there were 37.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS, and 90% occur among youths. Despite enormous efforts made in Ethiopia to improve the reproductive health of the youth the utilization is still low. There is no study conducted on YFRHS utilization and associated factors among youths in East Belesa. Therefore, this study is aimed to assess YFRHS utilization and its associated factors among secondary school youths in East Belesa district.ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of youth friendly reproductive health service utilization and associated factors among secondary school students in East Belesa district, Ethiopia, 2022.MethodInstitution based cross-sectional study design was used with a total sample size of 347 youths in East Belesa schools from May 23 to June 12, 2022. Stratified simple random sampling was employed. Data were entered using EpiData and analyzed using Stata version 14. Descriptive statistics and Logistic regression were done to describe and identify factors associated with reproductive health services utilization. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered to declare a level of significance.ResultsA total of 346 students participated in the study with a response rate of 99.8%.the magnitude of youth friendly reproductive health service utilization was 28.9% (24.3, 33.9). Being married (AOR = 0.27, 95%CI: 0.14, 0.52), mothers attended higher education (AOR = 1.40, 95%CI: 1.87, 4.95), availability (AOR = 2.58. 95%CI: 1.29, 5.16) and students who had never discussed about reproductive issues with their families (AOR = 0.18, 95%CI: 0.07, 0.49) were significantly associated with youth friendly service utilization. Therefore, behavior change communication interventions targeted at advancing mothers’ knowledge, encouraging open discussion between parents and children, and enhancing the availability of youth friendly services are important to enhance youth friendly service utilization.

Matrículas da educação especial na educação de jovens e adultos em municípios mineiros com baixo Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano Municipal (2007–2018)

ABSTRACT This article analyzes data from a survey on the tendency of enrollments in special education in youth and adult education in elementary, secondary, and high schools. The study included the systematization and problematization of data from 37 municipalities in Minas Gerais separated by their Municipal Human Development Indexes from 2007 to 2018. The information listed was based on the microdata of the Basic Education School Census, which were analyzed with the aid of the software IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The results indicate a higher incidence of students’ enrollments in the early years of elementary school and their narrowing down to high school. They also point out that students with intellectual disabilities have the highest number of enrollments in youth and adult education in these years. Specifically about the municipalities with low Municipal Human Development Index, the data show the non-universalization of youth and adult education and the displacement of students to special philanthropic institutions in other municipalities.

Religiosity and Secularisation of Polish Youth in the 21st Century. Quantitative Research Analysis

In this article, we analyse the religiosity and secularisation processes of secondary school youth on several selected levels: religious affiliation, changes in religiosity, belief in a personal God, compulsory and non-compulsory religious practices, i.e. personal prayer. These analyses are based on the results of a sociological survey as part of the research project ‘Religious education of Polish youth – current state, opportunities and challenges’, conducted in November and December 2022 and January 2023. The study involved 1,672 male and female students from secondary schools across Poland. The results of the study confirm the increasingly dynamic secularisation processes.

Management of Clothing and Textiles Facilities in Secondary Schools in Yobe State for National Development

Clothing and Textiles are vital components of Home Economic Education. It is a vocation-oriented course that demands adequate facilities for its effectiveness in an institution. However, there is poor management of the available facilities in clothing and textiles laboratories in most of the secondary schools in Nigeria. These facilities include sewing machine, interlocking machine, design machine, monograming machine, loom, buckets, twine, dice, and chemicals. This leads to undesirable consequences that affect national development. This paper posits that effective management of these facilities for proper utilization among the youths in secondary schools would lead to national development. Hence, the paper concludes and recommends that there should be regular maintenance services of the equipment and tools to enhance maximum utilization; school administrators or proprietors should ensure that sufficient funds are available for necessary maintenance costs; management should also ensure that only versed operators should operate the machines; and honesty and good attitude towards government properties should be encouraged.

“We Just Think of Her as One of the Girls”: Applying a Trans Inclusion Staged Model to the Experiences of Trans Children and Youth in UK Primary and Secondary Schools

Background/Context: Throughout the past decade increasing numbers of trans children are being supported in childhood, with schools in countries across the world tasked with educating a generation of (known) trans pupils. Schools can adopt diverse approaches to inclusion or exclusion of trans pupils, with consequences for trans children’s well-being and safety at school. The literature includes extensive critique of the limitations of common approaches to trans inclusion, highlighting negative impacts on trans pupils. Purpose: This article aims to reframe and bring nuance to conversations on trans inclusion in education, drawing on primary research in the UK to make explicit different approaches to trans inclusion, their ideological underpinnings, and their implications for how trans children are welcomed in our schools. Setting: The research took place in the UK, with interviews conducted at a time of escalation of anti-trans discourse in UK courts and media. Population: This article draws on data from two qualitative research projects focusing on the experiences of trans and nonbinary children and their parents in the UK: one focusing on trans children aged 3–12 years, and the other on trans young people aged 12–18 years. Research Design: Semi-structured interviews explored trans children’s experiences in education in the UK, with a focus on trans-inclusive approaches to school culture, restrooms, and team sports. Data were analyzed against the trans inclusion staged model (TISM), a framework for distinguishing between different approaches to trans inclusion. Findings: Within the TISM we differentiate between trans-oppressive, trans-assimilationist, trans-accommodative, and trans-emancipatory approaches to educational inclusion. Interviews highlighted the harms and injustices in nonemancipatory approaches, revealing the role of cis supremacy in forcing trans pupils into positions of vulnerability. Conclusion/Recommendations: The TISM emphasizes the structural and systemic nature of trans oppression, illuminating the power imbalances embedded in nonemancipatory approaches, and acknowledging the need for fundamental reform. We recommend analysis and recognition of school practices that are trans-oppressive, trans-assimilationist, trans-accommodative, or trans-emancipatory. We call for increased recognition of cis supremacy within education and commitment to emancipatory approaches to trans inclusion, enabling progress toward equity and gender justice in our schools.

Religion and Intergroup Boundaries: Positive and Negative Ties Among Youth in Ethnically and Religiously Diverse School Classes in Western Europe

BackgroundIn the past decades, Western European countries have become increasingly religiously diverse; furthermore, a growing share of their population is now youth with a migration background. Little is known about the role religion plays in social ties among children of native and immigrant origins.PurposeThis study examines religious group boundaries among youth in secondary schools in England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. To this end, it describes to what extent youth’s positive and negative ties in the classroom are segregated along religious lines. Furthermore, it analyzes the role of structural opportunities and religious in-group preferences in the formation of religious boundaries in the social networks of youth.MethodsThe data come from the first wave of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in Four European Countries (CILS4EU), which contains more than 18,000 adolescents (aged 14–15) in England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. First, we describe overall religious segregation in the social ties of youth by using the full survey data. Second, we test our hypotheses by analyzing the complete social networks of 5236 students in 247 classes.ResultsThe analysis reveals that friendships are more likely between classmates with similar religious affiliations than classmates with different religious affiliations. In particular, in terms of friendships, there is clear segregation between non-religious and Christian youth on the one hand and Muslim youth on the other. This segregation is partly driven by structural forces that constrain intergroup meeting opportunities. However, group segregation goes beyond the patterns expected from opportunities alone. The results show strong preferences for intrareligious friendships and a tendency to avoid ties between Muslim and non-Muslim youth.Conclusion and ImplicationsThere are religious boundaries in the social relationships of youth in ethnically and religiously diverse school classes in Western Europe. In particular, social boundaries between Muslim and non-Muslim youth are the strongest. Creating opportunities for positive intergroup contact, such as the promotion of religiously diverse schools, apparently is not sufficient to avoid religious boundaries among youth. To reduce segregation along religious lines, interventions would also need to address the factors that shape youth’s preferences for intrareligious friendships.

Extracurricular Activities In The Broader Personal Development: Reflections From Youth In Public Secondary Schools

This study examined extracurricular activities in the broader personal development: Reflections from Youth in Public Secondary Schools. Specifically, the study examined the contribution of extracurricular in the areas of leadership, sexual reproductive health, and good academic performance in public secondary schools in Muheza and Korogwe districts in the Tanga region, Tanzania. The study was qualitative which adopted the interpretive paradigm. Data were collected through focused group discussions from 160 secondary school students who experienced extracurricular activities in their school environment. Grounded theory methodology was used to analyze the data collected. The study findings revealed that extracurricular contribute to leadership as it builds youth with leadership skills, teach youth to volunteer, and inform youth that leadership is about having agenda. Additionally, the study exposed that extra-curricular activities are important in educating the youth on sexual reproductive health as they learn about their bodies, hygiene at puberty age, being unastonished by the biological changes but also extracurricular help youth to manage risk sexual behavior. With regards to good academic performance, the study revealed that extracurricular are for academic benefits, as it aspires to academic discussion and has minimized students' truancy. The study concludes that Extracurricular influences secondary school youth's development as it exposes them to environments translating into real situations affecting their wellbeing. Through extracurricular students can explore their environment, encouraging innovations and building creativity with very minimal resources. Additionally, extracurricular activities have proved to have a positive behavior outcomes such as academic performance in the school-age stage and occupational status and income in adulthood. The study suggests that the government should translate extracurricular activities from documents to actions and give equal weight to both classroom and non-classroom activities. The extracurricular activities balance the existing gap between soft and hard skills. That extracurricular helps youth to address challenges they face in their daily life. Extracurricular found to be of interest to students because it all connected to people’s character and it is widely applicable to most areas. While hard skills help an individual to enter a job market, soft skills guarantee job opportunities and further career growth.