Community mobilisation approaches to preventing and reducing adolescent multiple risk behaviour: a realist review protocol

Prevalence and factors associated with risky sexual behavior among Brazilian school adolescents

This article evaluated the prevalence and factors associated with risky sexual behavior (RSB) among Brazilian school adolescents. This is a cross-sectional study with data collected from the National Survey of School Health, 2019 edition, with a representative sample of 7th grade of elementary school to 3rd year of high school Brazilian school adolescents. This work evaluated sociodemographic, behavioral, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, sociability characteristics, medical advice received at school, and body image. RSB was characterized as the non-use of a condom during sexual intercourse. The data were analyzed using hierarchical Poisson regression modeling. The prevalence of RSB was of 40.3%, with the lowest proportion appearing in the North region (37.4%). The highest prevalence of RSB was found among female adolescents, whose first sexual intercourse occurred at 13 years of age or under, who were victims of sexual violence, who practiced bullying, and who used illicit drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. Those who used a condom during their first sexual intercourse showed the lowest prevalence of RSB. The high prevalence of RSB among Brazilian school adolescents, together with the knowledge of the associated factors, serves to define strategies to favor improvements in the sexual and reproductive health of these young people.

Effects of factors of self-regulation vs. factors of external regulation of learning in self-regulated study

Since the mid-20th century, the study of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) has aimed to identify the distinctive characteristics that enable individuals to acquire new knowledge and skills under their control. The theory of Internal Self-Regulation vs. External-Regulation in Learning (SRL vs. ERL; 2017) has postulated that a large number of self-regulatory variables are mediated by regulated/non-regulated or dysregulated features of the context. After signing their informed consent, a total of 616 university students completed validated instruments of SRL vs. ERL, behavioral regulation (SRB), regulatory teaching (RT), and metacognitive study control strategies (SRS). Using an ex-post facto design and correlation, regression, structural equation model and mediation analyses, the present research aimed to establish multicausal predictive relationships among the analyzed variables. Results indicated positive predictive effects between the external regulation variables on the self-regulation variables in learning [regulation (SRL)/non-regulation (NRL)/dysregulation (DRL)]; as well as positive predictive effects between SRL on SRB, RT and metacognitive SRS. Additionally, external regulation (ERL) not only predicted but mediated numerous relations among the variables studied. Other findings and important considerations for future research in the field of self-regulation are discussed.