Secondary School Youth Research Articles

Sleep and adolescence. Do New Zealand teenagers get enough?

The objective of this study is to describe the sleep patterns of secondary school students in New Zealand. This study uses data from a national secondary school youth health survey conducted in 2001. A total of 9567 students completed the survey with an overall response rate of 64.3%. Students were asked if they felt they got enough sleep and the numbers of sleep hours were estimated from self-reported bedtimes and awakening times during the week and weekend. A significant proportion (21%) of students reported not getting enough sleep. Inadequate sleep was more common among older students and female students of Maori and New Zealand European ethnicity. The average amount of sleep secondary school students report in New Zealand is 8 h and 40 min during the week and 9 h and 23 min during the weekend. There was a shift towards later bedtimes and fewer total sleep hours among older students. Increasing hours of extracurricular activities and employment were generally associated with less sleep, especially among students engaging in more than 5 h a day of these activities. Significant numbers of secondary school students report inadequate sleep. Given the importance of adequate sleep on healthy adolescent development, parents and health professionals should be wary of the amount of extracurricular activities that young people engage in, especially part-time employment and the potential negative impact it may have on the adequacy of their sleep.

Tentative de suicide : comment repérer un adolescent en danger ?

In the majority of the Western countries, death by suicide became the second cause of death to adolescence after car accidents. Every year in France, more than 500 young people commit suicide and 6.5% of secondary school youths made a suicide attempt. Thus, detecting teenagers with a high suicidal risk is a significant objective for any doctor. But often, psychic suffering progresses unseen: behavioural problems, somatizations, repeated accidents⋯ How to broach the subject during an ordinary consultation? Doctors can, for example, lean on the Binder test to detect suicidal ideation and evaluate its seriousness.

Sexuality and Precautionary Behaviour among Secondary School Youth in Botswana

Sexuality and Precautionary Behaviour among Secondary School Youth in Botswana

Pedometer-Determined Physical Activity Levels of Youth

Background:The purpose of this study was to describe the pedometer-determined physical activity levels of American youth.Methods:A secondary analysis of six existing data sets including 1839 (1046 females, 793 males; ages 6 to 18) school-aged, predominantly white subjects from the southwest US. Grade clusters for elementary (grades 1 to 3), upper elementary (grades 4 to 6), middle school (grades 7 to 9), and high school (grades 10 to 12) were created for statistical analysis.Results:Males in grades 1 to 3 and 4 to 6 accumulated significantly more steps/d (13,110 ± 2870 and 13,631 ± 3463, respectively; P < 0.001) than males in grades 7 to 9 and 10 to 12 (11,082 ± 3437 and 10,828 ± 3241). Females in grades 1 to 3 and 4 to 6 accumulated significantly more steps/d (11,120 ± 2553 and 11,125 ± 2923; P < 0.001) than females in grades 7 to 9 and 10 to 12 (10,080 ± 2990 and 9706 ± 3051).Conclusions:Results are consistent with those reported for other objective assessments of youth activity indicating that males are typically more active than females and physical activity is less prevalent among secondary school youth than those in elementary school. Pedometer-determined physical activity levels of youth, including secondary school youth, are higher than reported for adult populations.

Perceived competence and physical activity involvement among youths: an examination of Harter's Competence Motivation Theory in Botswana

The study examined if the factor structure of the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (SPPA) suggested by Harter (1978; 1988) would fit a sample of youths from Botswana and whether perceived competence would predict patterns of involvement in sport and physical activity among the youths. Participants were secondary school youths from urban and rural Botswana (N=903), aged 13-18 years, involved in competitive sports, leisure physical activity, and non-participants. All participants completed a background information questionnaire and the SPPA. Results indicated that the original factor structure did not fit the current sample. A modification of the original model yielded two factors, which were labeled Physical Appearance and Self-worth. Only Self-worth accounted for significant differences on patterns of involvement in sport. Non-participants and recreational sport participants had higher perceptions of Self-worth compared to competitive sport participants. The lack of fit for the SPPA could be explained in terms of method effects or cultural specificity. Keywords: Self-perception, Cultural extension, Perceived competence, Confirmatory factor analysis South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation Vol.26(2) 2004:91-103

Help Seeking Patterns in Urban and Rural Youth in Two South African Provinces

The help seeking patterns of 139 secondary school youth between the ages of 14 and 22 in two peri-urban and one rural secondary school in the Eastern Cape, and one urban and one rural secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal were studied. Youth were interviewed in focus groups about their problems and whether or not they seek help for these problems. Possibilities of, and problems with, help resources were also discussed. Data were analysed using qualitative data analysis software and interpreted in terms of the contextual dynamics which facilitate or hinder access to help seeking resources. This study illustrates the intricacy of help seeking behaviour. Contextual factors were found to be significant mediators of help seeking behaviour.

Psychosocial and Contextual Determinants of Past and Intended Condom Use among Ethiopian Secondary School Students

Objective: To explore the psychosocial, sexual context, and sociodemographic determinants of past and intended condom use among secondary school students in Ethiopia. Methods: Survey data were collected from 367 sexually active high school students in five major towns using questionnaires. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to examine the role of psychosocial, sexual context, and sociodemographic factors in influencing past and intended condom use. Results: Higher levels of positive attitudes toward and self-efficacy for condom use were associated with higher levels of both past and intended condom use. Knowledge of individuals who live with or have died of HIV/AIDS was also directly related to higher levels of intended condom use. In contrast, involvement in risky sexual behaviors and use of other contraceptive methods predicted higher levels of past condom use. Effects of reproductive health understanding and family socioeconomic status on past and intended condom use were indirect through their positive influence on psychosocial factors, particularly self-efficacy and attitudes. Overall, our psychosocial and contextual model accounted for 40 and 62 percent of the variance in past and intended use, respectively. Conclusion: Findings show that theory-based social psychological and contextual factors are causally linked to patterns of past and intended condom use among Ethiopian secondary school youth. Furthermore, the results provide evidence for the applicability of Western health behavior theories to explain and predict safer sexual behaviors among secondary school students in non-Western settings.

Sexual Behavior and Attitudes Among Unmarried Urban Youths in Guinea

This study examined premarital sexual behavior among urban youths in Guinea. Data were obtained from interviews among 3603 15-24 year old males and females from 3 towns (Faranah Kissidougou and Gueckedou) in Guinea. The stratified cluster sample included 2114 primary and secondary school youths and 1489 out-of-school youths (OSYs) (apprentices and informal sector workers). Focus groups were conducted among 25 same-sex groups comprising 192 persons. 76% were aged 15-19 years of age. 42% were female. 46% belonged to the Malinke ethnic group. 50% of females and 76% of males were sexually experienced. The mean age of first intercourse was 16.3 years for females and 15.6 years for males. Students had a significantly later mean age at first sexual intercourse than OSYs. Sexually active young men had a greater mean lifetime number of sexual partners (4.0) than women (2.1). Female students had fewer partners than female OSYs. 42% of females and 44% of males did not have coitus in the previous month. 45% of females and 51% of males had sex 1-3 times. Youths preferred periodic sexual experiences. Youths reported a pressure from peers and partners to have sex. Sexually active women tended to have older partners. Only about 25% knew first coitus could result in pregnancy. 11% could not distinguish effective from ineffective contraception. 29% reported use of condoms 20% relied on the calendar method and 14% relied on the pill. 53% had never used any method. Nonuse was higher among OSYs. 25% reported having been pregnant. 8% reported having made a partner pregnant.

Risk Factors for Alcohol Use Among Inner-City Minority Youth: A Comparative Analysis of Youth Living in Public and Conventional Housing

SUMMARY National survey data indicate that drug use among our nation's secondary school youth is once again on the rise. Nowhere is this concern more dramatic than with inner-city youth who seem disproportionately affected by the risks associated with drug use. Urban youth residing in public housing developments may be extremely vulnerable as a result of their exposure to high rates of crime, unrelenting poverty, and drug use. To better understand the role of public housing conditions in the etiology of adolescent drug use, we examined a sample of youth living in hosing developments and youth living in conventional housing. Correlates and preductors of alcohol and drug use included measures of cognitive efficasy, Social influences, normative expectations, drug-refusal skills, family managment, psychological distress, and alcohol-related expectancies. Overall, there were few significant mean differences in psychosocial functioning or drug behaviour for the two groups. Hierarchical moderated multiple regression analyses indicated that public housing status buffered against the negative effects of high levels of percieved alcohol availability on drinking behaviour, whereas youth living in conventional housing with high grades reported lower alcohol involvement. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for developing effective prevention approaches targeting urban youth residing in public housing.

HIV/AIDS awareness among secondary school youths in Enugu Nigeria

HIV/AIDS awareness among secondary school youths in Enugu Nigeria

An Exploration of School Membership among Middle- and High-School Students

A personalized school environment is one of the guiding principles of many recent school reform plans. One useful model of school personalization, school membership, is proposed by Wehlage as part of his theory of drop-out prevention. Recently, Goodenow (1993) constructed a measure of school membership, the Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale (PSSM). The PSSM was employed with two samples of adolescents to investigate the scale's reliability and delineate its factor structure, while also extending its use to high school age youth. Consistent with the author's hypotheses, the PSSM was associated closely with students' self-concepts and ratings of school climate. Findings were integrated into Wehlage's model of school membership, and the relevance of this model for typical secondary school youth is described.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: education exposure, knowledge and attitude of Nigerian adolescents in Calabar.

The knowledge of and attitude to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) of 738 secondary school youths in Calabar were studied by questionnaire in March 1991. Most (92%) of the adolescents had heard about AIDS, largely through the mass media (79-85%), with parents and teachers contributing in less than 40%. About 30% did not know that AIDS exists in Nigeria. Most of them knew that promiscuity, blood transfusion and sharing injection needles and syringes are the major modes of transmission, but a number still incriminate toilet seats, eating utensils, hand-shaking and kissing. Only 31% were aware that condoms provide protection. For self-protection the youths prefer abstinence (45%) and confinement to one sex partner (19%). Only 3.6% would adopt the use of condoms. To prevent the spread of AIDS, the youths prescribe isolation (37%), treatment (34%), and killing (14%) of diagnosed cases. Most youths (77%) will stop seeing friends and 63% will reject relatives who develop AIDS. The study reveals that while general awareness of AIDS is fairly good, detailed knowledge is riddled with misconceptions and confusion. It is recommended that physicians in the community should assist in disseminating accurate information, with the support of parents, teachers and the youths themselves.

Influence of Traditional Factors on Career Choice Among Nigerian Secondary School Youth

Influence of Traditional Factors on Career Choice Among Nigerian Secondary School Youth

Editor's Introduction

New curricula for the subject disciplines are being introduced in the Soviet secondary school as part of the educational reform that was initiated in 1983. Issues of this journal on the adoption of that reform by the Soviet government between June 1983 and April 1984 and on the countrywide mobilization for its implementation, which took place in 1984 and 1985, have chronicled the reform process in its earlier stages. The major structural changes within the reform policies are the enrollment of six-year-olds in first grade for the first time and the vocational training of all youth in secondary school, goals that were articulated in order to bring the Soviet school system into the overall socioeconomic reform program of the Gorbachev administration. Curriculum reform lies at the pedagogical heart of the educational reform process; cyclic changes in Soviet school curricula since World War II have been linked to the priorities of national economic growth.

Comparisons for Psychomotor Tasks: Grade and Sex of Secondary School Youths

Youths in Grades 7 through 10 ( N = 815) were tested on simple reaction time, pursuit rotor, hand tapping, or arm-hand steadiness tasks. The results, which provide normative data, show that all four tasks are grade-or age-dependent; subjects in higher grades performed better than those in lower grades. Reaction time and hand tapping were sex-dependent; boys scored better than girls. An interaction of sex × grade was observed for time on target on the pursuit rotor; boys were better in Grades 7 through 9 while girls were better in Grade 10.

Sociopolitical Attitudes of French Secondary School Youth

FRENCH EDUCATIONAL POLICIES and programs have been largely inspired by a liberal educational philosophy inherited from the Renaissance and Reformation. Social and economic changes of the last twenty years, particularly the growing influence of science and technology, have led, however, to a reevaluation of educational priorities, goals, methods, and classroom social climate. Have these phenomena led to changes in the knowledge, feelings, and values held by youth? The following study is an attempt to answer this question and to ascertain the sociopolitical attitudes of French secondary school students.2 Specifically, it seeks: (1) to find out what the social and occupational expectations of high school youth are, and what indications there are of increasing desires for upward mobility; (2) to explore student interest in politics and political participation at national and international levels; (3) to investigate the extent of youths' support for the political system; (4) to analyze the role of agents of political socialization such as family, school, and peers; and (5) to study some relationships between mediating variables (e.g., sex and social class) and the sociopolitical attitude patterns.

Nutrition Misconceptions of Secondary School Youth

Nutrition Misconceptions of Secondary School Youth

Sex Roles, Social Class and Political Consciousness

Current conceptualizations of political socialization are reviewed and a more structurally oriented alternative framework is presented. The concepts of opportunity structures and potentials are introduced, and the relative importance of sex versus social class differences in political awareness and articulation arc examined. Analysis of empirical data, e.g. on the political and non-political information levels, on the correlations with sex of different politically relevant attitudes obtained from a survey of Finnish secondary and vocational school youth shows the generally lower level of awareness and articulation among females than males. More definite differences, however, were noted between the type of school in general, irrespective of the sex of the students.

Sex Roles, Social Class and Political Consciousness

Current conceptualizations of political socialization are reviewed and a more structurally oriented alternative framework is presented. The concepts of opportunity structures and potentials are introduced, and the relative importance of sex versus social class differences in political awareness and articulation are examined. Analysis of empirical data, e.g. on the political and non-political information levels, on the correlations with sex of different politically relevant attitudes obtained from a survey of Finnish secondary and vocational school youth shows the generally lower level of awareness and articulation among females than males. More definite differences, however, were noted between the type of school in general, irrespective of the sex of the students.

Provisions and Programs for Educationally Disadvantaged Youth in Secondary Schools

Provisions and Programs for Educationally Disadvantaged Youth in Secondary Schools