School-based extracurricular activity involvement and adolescent self-esteem: a growth-curve analysis

Middle school cycling program is associated with improved mental health and wellbeing in adolescents during COVID-19

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues among adolescents. Exercise is well-regarded for boosting mental health. Riding for Focus (R4F) is a 6-8 week cycling education program designed to equip middle school adolescents with basic cycling skills and introduce students to lifetime physical activity. A secondary goal of the R4F program is to improve adolescent mental health and psychosocial well-being. This study aimed to quantify the change in adolescent psychosocial well-being associated with the R4F program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Program evaluation also examined associations between participating in the R4F and mental health outcomes in the context of established risk factors, including gender, race, socioeconomic status, involvement in IEP programs, participation in after-school clubs, screen time, hours of sleep, and physical activity levels.

Methods

Anonymous surveys were collected before and after the program in 20 schools in North America, with psychosocial well-being quantified using WHO-5 and PSC-17-Y. 1,148 middle school students, aged 11-14, completed pre intervention surveys. 815 students also completed post intervention surveys.

Results

There was a general increase in psychosocial well-being after the R4F program and positive psychosocial well-being changes in students that identified as female, non-white, physically active, part of an IEP program, meeting screentime recommendations, and engaged in school programs, though effect sizes were small. Despite mental health improvements among underrepresented groups, relative risk assessments still indicated that males, white students, those from high socioeconomic status families still had reduced relative risk of developing psychosocial disorders post intervention.

Discussion

These analyses illustrate the feasibility of cycling as a viable PE elective and the need for further, more robust studies to better assess the positive impacts of the R4F scholastic cycling program on the psychological health and well-being of middle school age children.

Can mindfulness play a role in building social-emotional capacities among youth exposed to screens?

Introduction

Increased screen time coupled with public safety restrictions may pose a serious challenge to adequate social-emotional development in youth during the pandemic. Social-emotional competence (resilience, self-esteem, and self-compassion) are essential for youth to adapt to the "new normal" in the prolonged pandemic timeline. The current study investigated the efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention on youth social-emotional capacity while accounting for screen time.

Methods

One hundred and seventeen youth participated in a 12-week, online mindfulness-based program and completed pre-, post- and follow-up surveys across five cohorts during the COVID-19 pandemic (spring 2021 to spring 2022). Changes in youths' resilience (RS), self-esteem (SE), and self-compassion (SC) between the three-time points were examined using linear regression analyses (unadjusted, partially adjusted for screen time, and fully adjusted for demographic and screen time variables). The regression models accounted for demographic (age, sex), baseline mental health status, and screen time (passive, social media, video games, and educational types of screen-based behaviours) factors.

Results

In an unadjusted regression model, resilience [β = 3.68, 95%CI = 1.78-5.50, p < 0.001], self-compassion [β = 0.50, 95%CI = 0.34-0.66, p < 0.001], and self-esteem [β = 2.16, 95%CI = 0.98-3.34, p < 0.001] significantly increased after the mindfulness program, and the effects were maintained in the follow-up. The efficacy of the mindfulness program persisted after controlling for five types of screen time [RS: β = 2.73, 95%CI = 0.89-4.57, p < 0.01; SC: β = 0.50, 95%CI = 0.32-0.67, p < 0.001; SE: β = 1.46, 95%CI = 0.34-2.59, p < 0.01] and in a fully adjusted model which additionally accounted for the baseline mental health status and demographic factors [RS: β = 3.01, 95%CI = 1.20, p < 0.01; SC: β = 0.51, 95%CI = 0.33-0.68, p < 0.001; SE: β = 1.64, 95%CI = 0.51-2.77, p < 0.01] and maintained its impact in the follow-up.

Discussion

Our findings reinforce the evidence base on the efficacy of mindfulness and support the use of online mindfulness programs in building social-emotional competencies (i.e., self-compassion, self-esteem, and resilience) among youth exposed to screens during the pandemic.

The inter-relatedness and demographic predictors of physical activity, self-rated health, and mental well-being: A three-wave study in secondary school children

INTRODUCTION

The World Health Organisation recommends that children and adolescents engage in at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day. Previous research has shown that physical activity is related to other constructs such as mental well-being and self-rated health. This study examined the inter-relatedness of these constructs in Northern Irish school children.

METHODS

This study was a secondary analysis of data gathered as part of a longitudinal study. Participants were n = 1791 adolescents in their final years of secondary (high) school (age range 15-18; female = 64.6%). Data were gathered on three occasions over a 2-year period on self-rated health, physical activity, mental well-being, heavy episodic drinking, lifetime smoking, psychological and somatic symptoms, as well as a range of socio-demographic measures.

RESULTS

Descriptive results showed extremely low levels of self-reported physical activity within the past week, with <6% of the sample attaining the WHO guidelines at each wave of data collection. There were significant gender differences on all variables assessed. Results further showed a small-sized relationship (statistically significant for girls only) between physical activity and mental well-being. There was also a small-sized relationship between physical activity and self-rated health. Notably, effect sizes for the relationship between self-rated health and both physical activity and mental well-being were higher. In terms of socio-demographic predictors of lower physical activity, being female, lifetime cigarette smoking, and higher somatic and psychological symptoms were all statistically significant factors.

CONCLUSION

Self-rated health emerged as the most important predictor of physical activity among adolescents.

The Effects and Types of Parental Involvement in School-Based Sport and Health Programs Still Represent a Knowledge Gap: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Health-related behaviours and attitudes acquired in childhood significantly shape health behaviours in adulthood and play an important role in preventing children from becoming overweight. Interventions incorporating parental involvement can provide outstanding support in shaping a child's health-related behaviour. However, parental involvement has not been investigated from the perspective of efficacy except for obesity. Therefore, this systematic review investigates school-based physical activity intervention programmes incorporating parental involvement. We aim to explore the impact of these programmes and the parental involvement they provide on behaviours that influence child health, which are essential for preventing children and adults from becoming overweight and promoting health-conscious lifestyles.

METHODS

This systematic literature review follows PRISMA guidelines. The EBSCO Discovery Service Search Engine was used for searching for literature. Papers included met the following inclusion criteria: (1) reported original, empirical research or systematic review published in a peer-reviewed journal; (2) primary or secondary school age (6-18 years) as the target population; (3) examined school-based sport or health prevention and intervention programs; (4) only healthy children and youth in the indicated age group; (5) school-based prevention or intervention program; (6) examines parental involvement; (7) in the English language, and (8) in disciplines of education, psychology, social work, sociology, social sciences and humanities.

RESULTS

An extremely limited number of interventions of sufficient quality address the role of parental involvement (N = 17). The forms of parental involvement show a huge variety, ranging from leaflets, home packs, sports organisations "forced" by the pandemic, parent meetings, programmes, courses, and school programmes with diverse children over several months (cooking together, gardening, playing sports together, etc.). Therefore, it is difficult to measure their effectiveness and impact.

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of parental involvement on children's health behaviour, especially physical activity and nutrition, as two of the most important factors in preventing them from becoming overweight, are unclear, and other correlations, e.g., academic achievement, are scarce.

Adolescents’ Self-Esteem Associated with Solitary, Passive, and Active Leisure Activities

Adolescents enjoy their free time in different ways including solitary, passive, and active leisure activities. The current special circumstance, the COVID-19 pandemic, provides adolescents with more free time that individuals have to spend by themselves. However, there has been little research devoted to their participation in different leisure activities and its effect on adolescent self-esteem. This study examined current adolescents’ self-esteem levels and frequency of participation among solitary, passive, and active leisure activities and how participation in different types of leisure activities affects adolescent self-esteem. A total of 1759 adolescents self-reported 13 self-esteem items and the frequency of different types of leisure activities. The results revealed that 12 items of the self-esteem scale were higher scores than the average among adolescents in this sample. Adolescents spent significantly more time on solitary leisure activity (M = 4.85) than passive (M = 2.54) and active leisure activities (M = 3.51). The results of regression indicated that solitary activities (β = 0.068, p = 0.007) and sport/exercise (β = 0.267, p < 0.001) and hanging with friends (β = 0.113, p < 0.001) of active leisure activities were positively associated with adolescent self-esteem. The findings suggest that parents, teachers, and administrators should recognize and apply appropriate directions or programs to optimize adolescents’ self-esteem by developing suitable leisure activities. It could be helpful to provide other active leisure activities such as socialized clubs or extracurricular physical activities to improve their self-esteem.

Self-Esteem and Academic Engagement Among Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model

As an important predictor of academic achievement and an effective indicator of learning quality, academic engagement has attracted the attention of researchers. The present study explores the relationship among adolescent self-esteem and academic engagement, the mediating effect of academic self-efficacy, and the moderating effect of perceived social support. Four-hundred and eighty adolescents (M _age = 14.92) from the Hebei Province of China were recruited to complete anonymous questionnaires. The results show that self-esteem positively predicted adolescent academic engagement through the indirect mediating role of academic self-efficacy, and the percentage of this mediation effect of the total effect was 73.91%. As a second-stage moderator, perceived social support moderated the mediating effect of academic self-efficacy. Specifically, when students felt more perceived social support, the impact of academic self-efficacy on their academic engagement was greater. Our findings suggest that adolescent self-esteem, academic self-efficacy, and perceived social support are key factors that should be considered together to improve adolescent academic engagement. Therefore, parents and school educators should actively guide adolescents to improve their self-esteem and academic self-efficacy. Parents and educators should also construct an effective social support system to improve students' perceived social support and enhance their academic engagement.

Adventure-based training to enhance resilience and reduce depressive symptoms among juveniles: A randomized controlled trial

There is growing concern about mental health problems among juveniles. Evidence shows that adventure-based training can reduce depressive symptoms in school children. However, a rigorous empirical investigation of the effectiveness of such training in enhancing resilience among juveniles has not yet been performed. In this study, a randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine the effectiveness of adventure-based training in enhancing resilience and self-esteem and reducing depressive symptoms among juveniles. Secondary school students from grades 7 to 9 (aged 12-16 years) who attended the Integrated Children and Youth Services Centre in a large public housing estate in Hong Kong from December 20, 2018 to November 25, 2019 were invited to participate in this study. We randomly assigned 228 eligible adolescents to an experimental group (n = 115) that received a 2-day/1-night adventure-based training or a placebo control group (n = 113) that received 2 days of leisure activities organized by the Integrated Children and Youth Services Centre. Data were collected at baseline and 3 and 6 months after the corresponding interventions. The primary outcome was resilience at 6 months. The secondary outcomes were depressive symptoms and self-esteem at 6 months. Compared with the placebo control group, the experimental group showed significantly higher resilience (p = 0.001) and fewer depressive symptoms (p = 0.02) at 6 months, and significantly higher self-esteem at 3 months (p = 0.04), but not at 6 months (p = 0.12). However, the generalizability of the findings is limited as we used a convenience sample.

Influence of Organized vs Non Organized Physical Activity on School Adaptation Behavior

It is now well-established that physical activity has positive effects on both physical and mental health. However, the influence of organized physical activity (i.e., programs controlled and supervised by a trainer) on school adaptive behavior of adolescents with disabilities and/or behavioral disorders remains unclear. School behavior adaptation involves the ability to learn, conform to school norms and manage school activities without major behavior conflicts. A cross-sectional study was conducted to test the differences between organized physical activity and non-organized physical activity in an after school program. Eighty Romanian adolescents were recruited and allocated to three groups: (a) with disabilities [Ds; N = 17, M_age = 14.55 years (SD = 1.16), 12 males and 5 females], (b) with conduct disorders [CDs, N = 21, M_age = 14.52 years (SD = 1.11) 16 males and 5 females], and (c) participants who had not shown signs of conduct disorders or disabilities [as a control group; N = 42, M_age = 14.2 years (SD = 0.46) 20 males and 22 females]. Personality traits, school behavior, and sensorimotor coordination were assessed by using the Eysenck personality questionnaire—junior scale, school in-adaptability questionnaire scale, and Vienna Test System Sport (SMK—sensorimotor coordination test) respectively. Multivariate analysis of variance MANOVA (3 × 3) and discriminant analysis were used to examine differences between the psychological and sensorimotor coordination outcomes across three groups and three types of physical activity context: (a) organized physical activity, (b) non-organized physical activity, and (c) no physical activity. The findings indicate that not participating in an organized physical activity program results in a reduced level of physical mobility and consequently is associated with maladaptive social and psychological outcomes. Thus, we argued that attending in an organized physical activity program is more beneficial for participants with disabilities and/or behavior disorders, due to an increase in the probability of school integration and development of their motor skills. Clearly more research is needed in order to investigate these effects in neurophysiological levels.

Pediatric health-related quality of life and school social capital through network perspectives

Background

Despite their importance in population health among children and adolescents, our understanding of how individual items mutually interact within and between pediatric health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and school social capital is limited.

Methods

We employed network analysis in a general population sample of 7759 children aged 9–15 years to explore the network structure of relations among pediatric HRQOL and school social capital items measured using validated scales. Furthermore, network centrality was examined to identify central items that had stronger and more direct connections with other items in the network than others. Network structure and overall strength of connectivity among items were compared between groups (by sex and age).

Results

Our analysis revealed that the item related to school/academic functioning and the item related to shared enjoyment among students had the highest strength centrality in the network of HRQOL and school social capital, respectively, underpinning their critical roles in pediatric HRQOL and school social capital. Additionally, the edge connecting “I trust my friends at school” and “trouble getting along with peers” had the strongest negative edge weight among ones connecting school social capital and pediatric HRQOL constructs. Network comparison test revealed stronger overall network connectivity in middle schoolers compared to elementary schoolers but no differences between male and female students.

Conclusion

The network approach elucidated the complex relationship of mutually influencing items within and between pediatric HRQOL and school social capital. Addressing central items may promote children’s perceived health and school social capital.

The moderating effect of student club membership on the relationship between career intention in the tourism sector and post-graduate employability anxiety

The majority of the studies on students who study tourism reveal that they do not plan to build their careers in the tourism industry. It is important for both educators and the tourism industry to determine the career intentions of tourism students and the factors which affect them. There are many studies on tourism students' attitudes towards the tourism industry. The main purpose of this particular study is how extracurricular student club membership status of tourism students affect their career intentions and post-graduation employability anxiety. It analyzes student club membership status as a moderating variable in building relationships between the career intentions and post-graduation employability anxiety. Data were collected from 512 respondents via survey. The research model is tested with structural equation model (SEM) and to test the moderating role of student club membership status in the relationship in question, PROCESS macro for SPSS is favoured. The study presents both theoretical insights and practical implications.

Hypertensive Measures In Schoolchildren: Risk Of Central Obesity And Protective Effect Of Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity

Background The proportion of arterial hypertension (AH) has increased in children and adolescents and is associated with several comorbidities. Objective To verify the association of arterial hypertension with central and general obesity as well as according to the level of physical activity in schoolchildren. Methods 336 children and adolescents aged 11 to 17 participated in the study. Height, body weight, waist circumference (WC) and blood pressure (BP) were measured. The body mass index z-score (BMI-z) was calculated. The level of physical activity was assessed by the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) according to the practice of moderate-to-vigorous physical activities (AF-mv). Students with systolic (SBP) and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) higher than the 95thpercentile according to sex, age and height or ≥120/80 were considered hypertensive. Statistical tests of t-Student, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney and binary logistic regression model were used, considering the significance level of p<0.05. Results It was found that 40.5% of the students had AH, 35.11% were overweight (12.5% obese), 13.39% had high WC and 40.2% were considered insufficiently active in AF-mv. The chances of AH were related to high WC (OR = 6.11; 95% CI: 2.59¬-14.42) and overweight (OR = 2.91; 95% CI: 1.76-4.79). In addition, adolescents who practiced AF-mv had a lower risk of high DBP (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.15-0.72). Conclusion Central obesity was the best predictor of AH in children and adolescents, as well as general obesity and males. The practice of AF-mv demonstrated a protective effect on high DBP in schoolchildren. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; 115(1):42-49).

Common mental disorders and socioeconomic status in adolescents of ERICA

INTRODUCTION

Adolescence is a stage of great social, family and emotional demands, and the literature has related common mental disorder (CMD) with poor living conditions.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between CMD and socioeconomic status in Brazilian adolescents aged 12 to 17 years.

METHOD

This is a cross-sectional study with data from the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents (ERICA - Estudo de Riscos Cardiovasculares em Adolescentes). The outcome was CMD and the exposure was socioeconomic status assessed by race/skin color, maternal schooling, resident/room relationship, type of school, existence of maid and bathroom at home, and work activity. For the calculation of prevalence, the survey mode was used and, in the multivariate analysis, logistic regression with p < 5%, as well as the 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

The prevalence of CMD in girls was 23.3%, and in boys, 11.1%. The variables associated with CMD in girls were age between 15 and 17 years (OR = 1.34; 1.17-1.51), studying in private school (OR = 1.13; 1.01-1.27), having a housemaid (OR = 1.15; 1.00-1.34) and, as a protective factor, unpaid work (OR = 0.64; 0.55-0.75). Boys also had a higher chance of CMD in the highest age group (OR = 1.42; 1.18-1.71) and when they had a housemaid (OR = 1.26; 1.02-1.57), whereas unpaid work decreased this chance (OR = 0.79; 0.67-0.95).

CONCLUSION

Socioeconomic variables that were associated with CMD were suggestive of higher economic class, whereas unpaid work favored the mental health of adolescents, results contrary to the literature on socioeconomic status and CMD.

Living with epilepsy in adolescence-A qualitative study of young people's experiences in Singapore: Peer socialization, autonomy, and self-esteem

BACKGROUND

Systematic reviews of quantitative research on the effects of childhood epilepsy have established its association with higher levels of psychiatric diagnosis, externalizing and internalizing problems, lower health-related quality of life, social competence, and poorer academic achievements, compared with their peers. However, much less is known about young people's experiences of living with epilepsy and its impact on their development from their own perspectives.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 young people aged between 13 and 16 years. Participants were recruited as part of a larger mixed methods study examining individual and family influences on outcomes for young people with epilepsy. These young people attended an epilepsy clinic in KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore. The framework approach to data management and analyses involved both inductive and deductive generation of themes.

RESULTS

Findings from young people's interviews provided in-depth descriptions of stressful circumstances encountered. Interconnectedness between severity of the impairment and its impact on key developmental tasks, such as independence, autonomy, and social development, were emphasized. Seizures and illness-related demands disrupted their day-to-day functioning and challenged their abilities to meet these tasks. In addition to these impairment effects, young people's experiences of social exclusion were also affected by social and environmental factors, which act as systemic barriers to participation. In turn, this has an effect on their self-esteem. Nevertheless, young people reported positive experiences, such as support from both family and friends, which served as protective factors against the stress of living with a chronic medical condition.

CONCLUSION

The demands of epilepsy affect various domains of young people's lives. In order to obtain a holistic understanding of young people's inclusion or exclusion to participation, it is necessary to consider impairment effects, barriers to doing, and barriers to being.

Youth sports activity and young people's well-being after a disaster: a trial with the Mastery Approach to Coaching (MAC) in the Philippines

Objective

Sports activities is broadly utilized to support well-being of youth after a disaster or conflict. However, scientific validation of programs have not been conducted. The Mastery Approach to Coaching (MAC) is a coaching-education program on sports activities. The MAC reported to have a positive effect on youngsters’ self-esteem. As self-esteem is generally known to be beneficial for mental status, we tested the effect of a MAC program on students’ self-esteem in a disaster-affected area: Leyte, Philippines. We recruited 10th grade students from three schools; one school was allocated to the MAC intervention and the two schools to the control group. All schools were encouraged to involve students in volleyball from January to February 2015. In January 2015, MAC workshop was conducted in the intervention school before the sports activity.

Results

A total of 293 students completed the questionnaires. The intervention school (n = 51) showed a significant change in self-esteem, with the mean score increasing from 20.2 to 21.1 (p = 0.02). Neither school in the control group showed the significant change. The result showed the feasibility and a positive effect of sports activity with the MAC. However, further investigation should be conducted.

Trial registration UMIN Clinical Trials Registry ID: UMIN000033197 on June 30th 2018. Retrospectively registered

Developmental Assets and Risky Sexual Behaviors among American Indian Youth

This study examined the relationship between developmental assets during early and mid-adolescence and early adult sexual behaviors among American Indians using a subsample from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 465). Grounded in an assets framework, the authors explored the protective role of personal, family, school, and community assets as well as cumulative assets for sexual behaviors including early sexual debut, number of sexual partners, and frequency of condom use. The results indicated that certain assets during early and mid-adolescence, such as self-control, family support, and school attachment were protective for various risky sexual behaviors in early adulthood. Furthermore, cumulative assets emerged as an important predictor of sexual behaviors. These findings highlight the utility of applying a developmental asset framework to understand protective factors among American Indian youth.

Extracurricular Activities are Associated with Lower Suicidality through Decreased Thwarted Belongingness in Young Adults

Research has shown a negative association between extracurricular activities (ECAs) and suicidality. This study builds upon past research by using the interpersonal psychological theory of suicide to better understand the mechanisms involved in the relationship between ECAs and suicide risk. A total of 121 community and online-recruited adults ages 18 to 24-years-old participated. Self-report measures of suicidality, thwarted belongingness, and perceived burdensomeness were collected. Duration and breadth of participation in ECAs were assessed. ECA involvement was negatively associated with thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. An indirect effect of ECAs on suicidality through thwarted belongingness was statistically significant, but not for perceived burdensomeness. ECA involvement was associated with decreased suicidality through lower levels of thwarted belongingness. Interventions utilizing ECAs may be a low-cost, high-access option for decreasing suicide risk.

Three-Year Study of Students' Attitudes Toward Physical Education: Grades 4-8

PURPOSE

A relationship exists between attitudes toward physical education and future physical activity. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in attitude toward physical education as students progressed from upper elementary school (Grade 4) through middle school (Grade 8).

METHOD

Three cohorts of students (Cohort 1, Grades 4-6, n = 96; Cohort 2, Grades 5-7, n = 71; and Cohort 3, Grades 6-8, n = 73) were each followed for 3 years to examine changes in attitudes toward physical education.

RESULTS

After an initial increase from Grade 4 to Grade 5, a significant decrease was observed from Grades 5 to 8 in students' positive attitudes toward physical education, with a faster rate of change for girls than boys.

CONCLUSION

This longitudinal study provides further insights regarding the attitudes of students as they progress from Grade 4 to Grade 8 and expands on previous findings identifying decreasing positive attitudes toward physical education as students age, particularly for girls. The results provide evidence to support targeted interventions.

Association of lifestyle behaviours with self-esteem through health-related quality of life in Spanish adolescents

The present research examined the association of Mediterranean diet adherence and physical activity with self-esteem through five components of health-related quality of life. Data were collected from 456 adolescents attending one of five schools in Granada, Spain using a cluster-randomised design. Participants completed questionnaires on Mediterranean diet adherence, physical activity, self-esteem and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Models were constructed to identify associations between Mediterranean diet adherence and physical activity on self-esteem. Mediational analysis using bootstrapped confidence intervals examined possible mediation by five components of HRQoL. Mediterranean diet adherence and physical activity engagement were associated with four components of HRQoL: more positive physical wellbeing, psychological wellbeing, family relationships and autonomy support and perceptions of the school environment. Both lifestyle behaviours were positively associated with self-esteem. Both relationships were mediated through positive psychological wellbeing and perceptions of the school environment. Physical wellbeing was also a mediator of the relationship between physical activity and self-esteem.

CONCLUSION

Interventions promoting Mediterranean diets or physical activity to adolescents may facilitate improvements in self-esteem in addition to wider health benefits previously identified. Approaches within such interventions targeting improvements in physical wellbeing, psychological wellbeing and positive perceptions of the school environment may improve their efficacy. What is Known: • It is known that engagement in lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity is positively linked with psychological health. • Whilst its consumption is declining, the Mediterranean diet is nutritionally recommended and remains popular in parts of Greece, Southern Italy and Spain. Research into Mediterranean diet adherence and psychological health is lacking. What is New: • The present research furthers this knowledge by examining potential mechanisms through which two lifestyle behaviours (physical activity and following a Mediterranean diet) may be associated with self-esteem. • Implications for the promotion of positive mental health in young people. Mediterranean diet and physical activity were positively associated with self-efficacy via positive psychological self-concept and perceptions of the school environment. These novel findings can contribute to the development of more efficacious interventions targeting positive self-esteem in young people.

It isn't all just fun and games: Collegiate participation in extracurricular activities and risk for generalized and sexual harassment, psychological distress, and alcohol use

Collegiate extracurricular activities, despite their benefits, may place students at an increased risk for experiencing harassment. This study utilizes multiple waves of data from an online longitudinal survey to examine how participation in college activities (intramural sports, fraternities/sororities, school clubs) relates to experiences of sexual and generalized harassment and outcomes (psychological distress, heavy alcohol use) among undergraduates (N = 1852, 58.6% female, 57.4% White) in the Midwestern United States. Activity participation was related to harassment, but the pattern depended on the activity, harassment type, and sex. Fraternity/sorority involvement was associated with generalized harassment, whereas school club involvement was linked to both generalized and sexual harassment. Female intramural athletes were at an increased risk to experience both harassment types. In addition to direct relations, activity participation was indirectly linked to future psychological distress (depression, anxiety) and heavy alcohol use via harassment. Implications for intervention with this college student population are discussed.

Participation, self-esteem and self-concept in adolescent equestrian athletes

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between sport participation, global self-esteem and physical self-concept in female adolescent equestrian athletes. 239 participants (239 females aged 12-20 years old, 15.96±2.422 years) completed the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ) and a modified version of the Sport Activity Questionnaire through an online survey. Seven of the original 11 PSDQ subscales were chosen to be analysed: physical activity, body fat, sports competence, global physical self-concept, appearance, flexibility and global self-esteem. Global self-esteem and appearance were significantly affected by participant age (H(2) = 7.27, P<0.05 and H(2) = 9.58, P<0.01, respectively). Physical activity was significantly affected by discipline (H(4) = 13.39, P<0.05). Implications of these findings suggest that equestrian sport could act as a contributor to self-esteem in female adolescents and as such more emphasis on psychosocial development within the British Equestrian Federation's Long Term Athlete Development programme (LTAD) and the training of equestrian coaches needs to be implemented by governing bodies.

Prevalence and Psychosocial Correlates of After-School Activities among Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong

Using a cross-sectional design, this study (a) explores the prevalence of after-school activities among Chinese early adolescents and (b) assesses the relationships between participation in after-school activities, personal well-being, and family functioning. A total of 3,328 Grade 7 students (mean age = 12.59 years, SD = 0.74) completed a self-administered questionnaire. Results showed that the majority of adolescents returned home under adult supervision. Further analyses showed the associations between after-school activities, positive youth development qualities, academic and school competence, family functioning, and risky behavior. Implications regarding efforts aimed at designing high quality and structured after-school youth programs are discussed.

Homeschooled adolescents in the United States: developmental outcomes

The mission of schools has broadened beyond academics to address risk behaviors such as substance use, delinquency, and socialization problems. With an estimated 3.4% of all U.S. youth being homeschooled, this study examines how U.S. homeschoolers fare on these outcomes given their lack of access to these school services. Adolescents (ages 12-17) from the 2002 through 2011 National Surveys of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were divided based on school status (home vs. traditional schooling) and religious affiliation (stronger vs. weaker). Controlling for demographic differences, homeschoolers with weaker religious ties were three times more likely to report being behind their expected grade level and two and a half times more likely to report no extracurricular activities in the prior year than their traditionally schooled counterparts. This group was also more likely to report lax parental attitudes toward substance use. Findings suggest homeschoolers with weaker religious ties represent an at-risk group.

Adolescent risk factors for purging in young women: findings from the national longitudinal study of adolescent health

BACKGROUND

There exists a dearth of prospective adolescent eating disorder studies with samples that are large enough to detect small or medium sized effects for risk factors, that are generalizable to the broader population, and that follow adolescents long enough to fully capture the period of development when the risk of eating disorder symptoms occurring is highest. As a result, the purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial risk factors for purging for weight control in a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Data were extracted from the restricted-use data sets of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Waves I-III), selecting females with valid demographic and purging information (N = 5,670).

RESULTS

The prevalence of purging was 0.88% at Wave II and 0.56% at Wave III. In multivariable multinomial logistic regressions, purging at Wave II was predicted by parental poverty and low levels of self-esteem at Wave I; purging at Wave III was predicted by body mass index and the frequency of delinquent behaviors at Wave I.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with high body mass index, individuals with low self-esteem, and individuals in families experiencing economic hardship appear specifically at risk for the development of purging behaviors in later years and may benefit from more targeted prevention efforts.

Extracurricular interest as a resilience building block for children affected by parental HIV/AIDS

Parental illness and death due to human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) impose challenges to children's psychological adjustment. Positive psychology emphasizes individual's resilience in the face of adversity, trauma, and tragedy. Limited data are available regarding the factors that can cultivate resilience of children affected by HIV/AIDS. This study aims to examine the role of extracurricular interest in strengthening resilience among children affected by HIV/AIDS. Participants included 755 children orphaned by parental HIV/AIDS, 466 vulnerable children living with HIV-positive parent(s), and 404 comparison children from HIV-free families in the same community in rural China. The measures include extracurricular interest (i.e., reading, sports, music, painting, science, and playing chess) and indicators of psychological adjustment (i.e., depression, loneliness, and self-esteem). Having extracurricular interest was positively associated with self-esteem and negatively associated with depression and loneliness. Having extracurricular interest attenuated the negative effect of parental HIV/AIDS on children's self-esteem and loneliness, after controlling for children's age, gender, and family socioeconomic status. The findings underscore the importance of nurturing extracurricular interest and make available of such activities to promote resilience for children affected by HIV/AIDS in resource-limited settings.

Examining youth and program predictors of engagement in out-of-school time programs

Prior research suggests that youths' engagement in out-of-school time programs may be a crucial factor linking program participation to positive outcomes during adolescence. Guided by the theoretical concept of flow and by stage-environment fit theory, the present study explored correlates of engagement in youth programs. Engagement was conceptualized as the extent to which youth found the program activities enjoyable, interesting, and challenging. The current study examined how program content, monetary incentives, and youth demographic characteristics were linked to youth engagement among a sample of primarily low-income middle and high school youth attending 30 out-of-school programs (n = 435, 51 % female). Results from multilevel models suggested that program content and staff quality were strongly associated with youth engagement. Youth who reported learning new skills, learning about college, and learning about jobs through activities in the program were more engaged, as were youth who found the staff caring and competent. Results demonstrated that the link between learning content for the future and engagement was stronger for older youth than younger youth. In addition, there was a trend suggesting that providing a monetary incentive was associated negatively with youth engagement. Taken as a whole, these findings have important implications for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers interested in understanding the characteristics of out-of-school time programs that engage older youth.

Adolescent leisure dimensions, psychosocial adjustment, and gender effects

Leisure provides the context for much of adolescent behaviour and development. While both theory and research point to the benefits of participation in leisure activities that are highly structured, the association between structured leisure and psychosocial adjustment is not uniformly high. This paper presents a model of adolescent leisure comprising three dimensions: structure, effort, and social contact. Adolescent adjustment is hypothesized to increase with participation in activities characterized by each of these attributes. Adjustment is also predicted to vary with gender, and with the interaction of gender and leisure participation. These propositions were tested in a questionnaire-based study of 433 Australian adolescents. Results revealed majority support for hypotheses pertaining to the positive effects of the leisure dimensions, and for gender differences in leisure participation and adjustment. Evidence was also obtained of gender-differentiated effects of leisure on adjustment, with social leisure predicting adjustment more strongly in females than males.

Beyond participation: the association between school extracurricular activities and involvement in violence across generations of immigration

Participation in extracurricular activities is purported to protect the broad spectrum of youth from a host of behavioral risks. Yet, empirical research on the extent to which this assumption holds for involvement in violence by immigrant youth is limited. Thus, using data for 13,236 (51.8% female) adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study explores how the relationship between extracurricular activities and youth violence varies by type of extracurricular activity profile (sports alone, non-sports alone, and a combination of sports and non-sports) and by generations of immigration (first, second, and third-plus). The sample is composed of 9.3% (n = 1,233) first-generation youth, 15.7% (n = 2,080) second generation, and 74.9% (n = 9,923) third-plus generation. The results reveal that adolescents from the third-plus generation (i.e., non-immigrant youth) who participate in non-sports alone or sports plus non-sports have lower odds of involvement in violence than adolescents from the same generation who do not participate in extracurricular activities. However, for first- and second-generation adolescents, participation in extracurricular activities is associated with higher rather than lower odds of violence compared to their non-participating counterparts. These findings challenge the viewpoint that participation in mainstream extracurricular activities as afforded by US schools is equally beneficial for all youth. They also call for additional research that explores why immigrant youth are less likely than non-immigrant youth to gain violence-reducing benefits when they participate in extracurricular activities.