No description available.

The study was conducted in Dubai, one of the main Emirate states.  It is a cross sectional descriptive study, conducted between January and April 2004.  The sample size was 661(324 males and 337 females).  These were all local national students from preparatory and secondary schools with ages ranging from 12 to 17 years.  A multi-stage stratified, random sampling technique was used to obtain a representative sample of appropriate size for estimating the prevalence of obesity among adolescents.  A short questionnaire was used to obtained information relating to factors which contributed to obesity. The results revealed that there was a high prevalence of obesity in males (22.2%) and females (20.2%).  Boys and girls in early and middle adolescence (12-15years) were more obese than late adolescents (16-17 years).  An increase in body mass index may lead to high blood pressure, high blood sugar level, high cholesterol and triglyceride level.  The girls were  shown to be more likely to follow a dietary programmes and watch television food advertisements.  Television was shown to be the most effective way of transmitting health nutrition information inclusion in the school curriculum being the next most effective way.  Boys participated in physical activity more than girls; reducing the likelihood of obesity.  Boys were more likely to overestimate their current body shape than girls. It was concluded that since obesity cannot be prevented or managed at an individual level, governments, the food industry, international agencies, the media and community should all work together to modify the environment so that it is less conductive to weight gain.

No description available.

Substantial numbers of adolescents suffer from the detrimental effects of internalized shame, however no assessment scale existed specifically for use with youth. Consequently, this study utilized multidimensional scaling, focus groups and questionnaires to develop the Adolescent Internalized Shame Scale. Analyzes revealed some clinicians do not adequately differentiate shame and guilt, adolescents unquestionably comprehend the feelings and ramifications of shame and there are significant gender differences in how youth experience shame. Statements generated by youth during focus groups and on the questionnaires raise considerable concerns regarding the painful experience of shame, and the resultant feelings of self-harm and suicide. In addition, the youth generated statements confirmed the desire of some youth to respond to shame with anger or rage, thus highlighting the gravity of the situation and necessity for effective intervention by clinicians.

The goals of this study were 1) to examine the features of adolescents’ disclosure and advice-seeking behavior about peer dilemmas; and 2) to examine the maternal parenting predictors of disclosure and advice-seeking behavior and the adolescent social correlates of these behaviors. Further, this study sought to examine adolescent advice-seeking as a potential mediator of the relations between maternal parenting characteristics and adolescent social outcomes (friendship quality and interpersonal competence). One hundred and one mother-child dyads were assessed when the children were approximately 10-12 years of age (M = 11.0) and 74 were re-assessed when the children were approximately 12-14 years of age (M = 12.8). Mothers provided reports of their parenting characteristics at Time 1 and Time 2, while adolescents provided reports of their disclosure at Time 1, and disclosure, advice-seeking, personality and social outcomes at Time 2. Results showed the adolescents disclosed and sought advice from their mothers moderately often across a variety of situations involving their close friends. The reasons adolescents chose to disclose, not disclose, and seek advice were discussed. Regression analyses showed that neither mothers’ positive nor their negative parenting characteristics were predictors of adolescent disclosure. Mothers’ positive parenting characteristics (including perspective-taking, warmth and positive responsiveness to children’s negative emotions) did significantly predict adolescent advice-seeking, for girls but not boys, after controlling for adolescent personality and maternal interpersonal competence. With respect to adolescent social outcomes, adolescent advice-seeking was significantly related to friendship quality, but not interpersonal competence, after controlling for adolescent personality and disclosure. There was no evidence for the role of advice-seeking as a mediator of the relations between parenting and adolescent social outcomes. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the importance of determining the conditions that encourage adolescents to seek advice from their parents when they encounter difficult situations involving their friends, and the value parental advice has for adolescent social success.

The goals of this study were 1) to examine the features of adolescents’ disclosure and advice-seeking behavior about peer dilemmas; and 2) to examine the maternal parenting predictors of disclosure and advice-seeking behavior and the adolescent social correlates of these behaviors. Further, this study sought to examine adolescent advice-seeking as a potential mediator of the relations between maternal parenting characteristics and adolescent social outcomes (friendship quality and interpersonal competence). One hundred and one mother-child dyads were assessed when the children were approximately 10-12 years of age (M = 11.0) and 74 were re-assessed when the children were approximately 12-14 years of age (M = 12.8). Mothers provided reports of their parenting characteristics at Time 1 and Time 2, while adolescents provided reports of their disclosure at Time 1, and disclosure, advice-seeking, personality and social outcomes at Time 2. Results showed the adolescents disclosed and sought advice from their mothers moderately often across a variety of situations involving their close friends. The reasons adolescents chose to disclose, not disclose, and seek advice were discussed. Regression analyses showed that neither mothers’ positive nor their negative parenting characteristics were predictors of adolescent disclosure. Mothers’ positive parenting characteristics (including perspective-taking, warmth and positive responsiveness to children’s negative emotions) did significantly predict adolescent advice-seeking, for girls but not boys, after controlling for adolescent personality and maternal interpersonal competence. With respect to adolescent social outcomes, adolescent advice-seeking was significantly related to friendship quality, but not interpersonal competence, after controlling for adolescent personality and disclosure. There was no evidence for the role of advice-seeking as a mediator of the relations between parenting and adolescent social outcomes. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the importance of determining the conditions that encourage adolescents to seek advice from their parents when they encounter difficult situations involving their friends, and the value parental advice has for adolescent social success.

Purpose: A growing number of people from many countries are traveling internationally to obtain medical care. The purpose of this study is twofold: (a) to explore the experiences of international travel for the purpose of medical or dental care from the perspective of patients from Alaska and (b) to develop insight and understanding of the essence of this phenomenon. Study Design and Methods: The study is conceptually oriented within a model of health seeking behavior. Using a qualitative, interpretive phenomenological design, a purposive sample of fifteen Alaskan medical tourists who have experienced international travel for the objective of medical or dental care were individually interviewed. The data was analyzed using a hermeneutic process of inquiry to uncover the essential meaning of the experience. Results: The hermeneutic analysis of the participants’ narrative accounts allowed the themes of Motivation, Research, Obtaining Care, Follow-up, Advice, and Future Health Care to emerge. Sub-themes are used to further categorize data for increased understanding. The thematic analysis provides insight into the essential structure of the lived experience of the medical tourism phenomenon. Improved understanding of medical tourism provides further information about a modern approach to health seeking behavior. The conceptual definition and model for health seeking behavior are updated. Implications: Increased understanding of the experience of obtaining health care internationally and motivation for this nature of health seeking behavior from the patient perspective is needed in the global health care arena. Nursing professionals will benefit by being better able to advocate for patients’ choices in health seeking behavior, counsel regarding medical tourism options, provide follow-up health care after medical tourism, and actively participate in global health policy discussions.

This study was designed to investigate the attitudes of academically gifted adolescents towards the development of their personal strengths or gifts and to compare these with the attitudes of age peers not identified as gifted. This study also examined the reported higher levels of moral reasoning in gifted adolescents compared to age peers and how this may relate to their development of academic potential. The 750 participants included 401 identified gifted students and 349 students not identified as gifted in Years 9, 10 and 11 from seven different high schools in the Sydney Metropolitan region. An instrument entitled the Development of Personal Strengths Questionnaire was developed to analyse students??? attitudes while the Defining Issues Test (Rest, 1986) was also administered to measure moral reasoning ability. Results showed that gifted students have significantly higher levels of acknowledgement of personal strengths and reasons for developing personal strengths, which reflect altruistic motivations. Gifted students scored significantly higher on altruism and philanthropy and showed significantly higher scores on the Defining Issues Test. Aspects of developing personal strengths, on which gifted students showed no significant difference from non-identified peers were in areas of motivation and responsibility for developing these strengths. A significant, but modest, connection was found between development of personal strengths and moral reasoning. Gender differences were also examined, with males reporting higher acknowledgement of personal strengths than females and females reporting higher levels on reasons for developing personal strengths as well as altruism and philanthropy. Females also showed significantly higher scores on the Defining Issues Test. These results were consistent within the gifted participant group. It was concluded that gifted students in this study were more likely to acknowledge their personal strengths or gifts and were more inclined to hold reasons for this development which related to higher levels of altruism, philanthropy and moral reasoning. These characteristics need to be taken into consideration in development of programs and provisions for gifted students, both now and in the future.

This research is an investigation of the experience of group music therapy for bereaved adolescents. In order to collect the data for this project, the researcher facilitated ten music therapy sessions with six young people utilising two music therapy techniques: group improvisation and group music sharing. At the conclusion of sessions, the researcher conducted in-depth interviews with the participants in which they described their experience of being in the music therapy group. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using the qualitative research methodology of phenomenology, based on the Giorgi (1975) model. The results of this investigation showed that their developmentally appropriate desires for fun, freedom, control and the achievement of group cohesion were essential in order for the six bereaved adolescents to successfully address the emotions of grief and share stories that strengthen continuing bonds with their loved ones who have died. Significantly, the young people noted that music sharing and improvisation allowed them to express their feelings, including negative feelings, as well as share their stories without relying solely on the use of words. Some felt that participation in the group had also facilitated discussion of their grief in diverse environments, or that it had promoted an examination of existential issues related to their loss.

In New Zealand, it is common for young people to mix 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) containing 'party pills' and ethanol (drinking alcohol). However, there is no scientific literature which compares the individual and combined long-term effects of these substances. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide a comparison of BZP and ethanol's individual and combined effects on adulthood behaviour following repeated adolescent exposure. To investigate this 40 male and 40 female adolescent rats received daily exposure (post natal days 41 - 50) to BZP (10 mg/kg) and/or ethanol (2 g/kg) or saline vehicle (1 ml/kg) via intraperitoneal injection. Animals were tested in a Y maze, light/dark emergence box, and an open field during early adulthood (PND 78 - 81) and again during mid-adulthood (PND 117 - 120). Results found females treated with alcohol ambulated less in the open field. Interestingly, no other behavioural differences between the treatment groups were observed. Overall, it appeared that adolescent exposure to BZP and/or alcohol did not have long-term behavioural consequences, at least in rats. This finding was most likely due to the narrow range of testing ages adopted in the study.