High prevalence rates and negative outcomes of peer-based aggression and victimization during early adolescence underscore the need to identify causes and consequences of these outcomes. Limited research has examined the impact of environmental and contextual factors, such as school climate, on peer aggression and victimization. Few studies have addressed relations between school climate and specific subtypes of physical and relational aggression and victimization. Although school climate has been assessed via interpersonal subsystems (i.e., student-student and student-teacher relationships), little research has incorporated the role of student awareness and reporting of violence and safety concerns. Further, studies are needed that consider the bi-directional relations between school climate and peer aggression and victimization over time. To address these limitations, the current longitudinal study examined associations between school climate (i.e., student-student and student-teacher relationships and awareness/reporting) and peer aggression and victimization over six months among a sample of 265 middle school students.

Background: Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease and an increasing public health problem. Treatment of type 1 diabetes requires daily insulin injections. Young people living with diabetes may feel that they do not fit in among others of the same age. Aim: Illustrate young people's experiences of living with diabetes type 1. Method: This study was a qualitative literature-based study with an inductive approach. The result was based on 10 qualitative scientific articles. Result: The analysis resulted in three main themes and seven subthemes. The main themes were: To live in a process of adaptation, A buffet of challenges and How the social surroundings impact the life. Conclusion: The results showed that young people who lived with type 1 diabetes felt that they had to adapt their lives to the disease. For young people it was also important to become independent in their illness. It was obvious that living with type 1 diabetes was an experience of both physical and mental challenge, and the people in the studies expressed a desire to be normal and to be able to compare themselves with others. The social surroundings had a clear impact in many ways, though the support from the environment was perceived as valuable. / Diabetes typ 1 är en ständigt ökande folksjukdom som ofta drabbar unga människor. Diabetes typ 1 är en kronisk ämnesomsättningssjukdom som ställer krav på den unga individen och skapar utmaningar i vardagen. Unga som lever med diabetes påverkas av sin omgivning och är i behov av stöd på olika sätt. Diabetes innebär att individen ständigt har förhöjda blodsockernivåer, till följd av brist på insulin. Unga människor lever i en turbulent period av livet, och att leva med en kronisk sjukdom kan förhindra en utveckling av den egna identiteten. Egenvården upplevs som en viktig del på vägen mot självständighet hos de unga, och sjuksköterskan har en central del i att hjälpa den unga individen att främja hälsa. Syftet är att belysa unga människors upplevelse av att leva med diabetes typ 1. Tio kvalitativa vetenskapliga artiklar har använts som material i resultatet. Resultatet visar att sjukdomen kräver en anpassning av livet. Det är en dragkamp om ansvaret för sjukdomen mellan de unga och deras föräldrar, då självständighet anses viktigt av unga människor för att uppnå frihet, vilket relateras till begreppen livsvärld och hälsa. De unga upplevde både känslomässiga och praktiska utmaningar i livet med diabetes, vilket diskuteras i relation till livskvalitet. En önskan om att få vara normal och kunna jämföra sig med andra i samma ålder finns, eftersom det är en betydande del i de ungas sökande efter en egen identitet. De unga anser att omgivningen påverkar dem på olika sätt, stödet från vänner och familj upplevs som betydelsefullt.

This study gives attention to the effects of instability of placement, emotional disturbances, and at-risk behaviors on the academic performance of adolescents in foster care, specifically males. The purpose of this study was to examine the academic success of male adolescents in foster care and environmental influences that prevent many children from excelling. Data were extracted and analyzed (Chi-Square) from 50 of200 case files (active and discharged). The sample represented male residents (12 to 18 years of age) of a privately run, state licensed residential group home in Georgia. Academic performance was measured by grade point average. Twenty-eight percent did not function on grade level while 72% functioned on grade level. There was no statistical significance between academic achievement and instability of placement (X2= .577, p = .448), emotional disturbances(X2= .759, p = -.348), aggressive/violent behavior (X2= .020, p = .887), and sexual activity (X2=.732, p = .392). However, there was statistical significance found between academic achievement and substance use (X2= 4.095, p = .043). An additional key finding in this study was 74% of the adolescents had a mental health diagnosis but had only been in foster care less than one year. Therefore, additional research should be conducted to determine the preexisting conditions adolescents experience before entering foster care. The findings from this study can perhaps encourage the child welfare community to investigate other variables that may impact the academic achievement of adolescents in foster care.

La présente recherche s’intéresse aux élèves du primaire (6-9ans) qui ont des problèmes de comportement, en particulier les filles, et concerne la qualité de leur adaptation lors du passage à l’adolescence. À risque élevé de persistance lorsqu’ils débutent à l’enfance, les problèmes de comportement sévères sont reliés au développement de conséquences négatives futures. Par contre, dans certains cas, les jeunes ne persisteront pas dans une trajectoire de trouble de comportement à l’adolescence. Il reste tout de même à savoir si leur niveau d’adaptation est acceptable. L’étude vise d’abord à identifier, chez des enfants (N=435) en troubles de comportement précoces, des sous-groupes latents selon la qualité de leur adaptation, puis à décrire et comparer les facteurs individuels et environnementaux qui sont associés à la qualité de leur adaptation au début de l’adolescence en vérifiant l’effet modérateur du sexe. Les résultats montrent un modèle à trois classes ; un sous-groupe d’enfants présentant une adaptation positive à l’adolescence, un sous-groupe ayant une adaptation plus négative et un troisième sous-groupe où les enfants, surtout des filles, présentent une adaptation encore plus difficile. De plus, seuls trois facteurs individuels (opposition, agressivité indirecte et performance scolaire) et trois facteurs environnementaux (consommation des parents, discipline coercitive et fréquentation de pairs déviants) prédisent l’appartenance à un sous-groupe. Les résultats soutiennent l’importance d’une meilleure connaissance des facteurs prédicteurs de la qualité d’adaptation afin d’intervenir dès l’apparition des premiers indices du trouble de comportement en ciblant particulièrement les filles.

Adolescence entails a reorganization of social, interpersonal interactions (Ávila, Heredia, Gómez & Martínez, 2006; Cardozo & Alderete, 2008), which generates stress (Frydenberg & Lewis, 2009). To deal with it, a variety of actions and cognitions are used, which prepare us to tolerate or minimize the effects produced by it (González, Montoya, Martina and Bernabeu, 2002). The purpose of this research is to describe the coping strategies used by adolescent high school students, making comparisons by sex and age. The work was done with 724 adolescents: 413 females and 311 males; ranging between 14 and 17 years of age, from Valle de Toluca, Estado de México. The Adolescent Coping Scale (ACS), developed by Frydenberg and Lewis (2000) was applied. The results obtained regarding the strategies used by adolescents in stressful situations are: to work hard and achieve, seek relaxing diversions, and worry. Females use more strategies focused on solving the problem, and they handle their emotions, unlike males who evade the problem and are more emotionally reserved. Regarding the age comparison, it was found that 16-year olds employ problem-evasion strategies. The implications of this study are discussed. / La adolescencia supone una reorganización de las interacciones sociales, interpersonales (Ávila, Heredia, Gómez y Martínez, 2006; Cardozo y Alderete 2009), lo que genera estrés (Frydenberg y Lewis, 2000). Para afrontarla, se emplea un conjunto de acciones y cogniciones que capacitan para tolerar o minimizar los efectos producidos (González, Montoya, Martina y Bernabéu, 2002). El propósito de la investigación es describir las estrategias de afrontamiento que emplean los adolescentes estudiantes del nivel medio superior, realizando comparaciones por género y edad. Se trabajó con 724 adolescentes, 413 mujeres y 311 hombres, con un rango de edad entre 14 a 17 años, del Valle de Toluca, Estado de México. Se aplicó la Escala de Afrontamiento para Adolescentes (ACS), elaborada por Frydenberg y Lewis (2000). Los resultados obtenidos de las estrategias que emplean los adolescentes ante situaciones estresantes son: esforzarse y tener éxito, buscar diversiones relajantes y preocuparse. Las mujeres emplean más estrategias centradas en resolver el problema e intervienen sus emociones, a diferencia de los hombres que evaden el problema y son más reservados emocionalmente. Con respecto a la comparación por edad, se encontró que los de 16 años emplean estrategias de evasión del problema. Se discuten las implicancias del estudio.

The aim of this study was to examine three distinct parenting styles and their effect on children’s behavioural patterns, as perceived by the child. The parenting styles, based on Baumrind’s typologies of authoritative, authoritarian and permissive parenting, were measured as well as the children’s self-rated internal and external symptoms. Results indicated that there was a relationship between authoritarian parenting and all aspects of internal symptoms (depression, loneliness and self-esteem) as well as delinquency and aggression (external symptoms). Gender had an effect on depression and loneliness with females displaying higher levels. Permissive parenting was the largest contributor to drug use and an effect of age on drug use was also found. In conclusion, the results from this study shows that authoritarian parenting has a detrimental effect on a host of mental health issues and behavioural problems. However, authoritative parenting was shown to have the most positive outcome across the study. Implications for positive parenting style interventions are discussed. In addition, further studies examining parent-child relations from the child’s perspective are suggested.

More than half of known crime is committed by 5-6% of the criminal population. Who are these people? Research has shown that it is likely that a majority of these individuals are characterized by having a psychopathic personality. Interestingly, research has shown that psychopathic features are not unique to adults. Youths with high levels of psychopathic traits resemble adult psychopaths in that they are the most frequent, severe and aggressive, delinquent offenders. There is less knowledge, however, about the development of these traits in adolescence, and many fundamental questions have yet to be addressed. The aim of this dissertation is to begin to examine a few of these questions, such as: a) the role of parents andtheir behavior in the development of psychopathic personality in adolescence; b) patterns of stability and change in psychopathic traits during adolescence; and c) whether or not subgroups of adolescents with high levels of psychopathic traits can be identified in a normative community sample. Overall, the results reveal that a psychopathic personality profile characterizes a small group of youths at particular risk of negative development. This group, as well as showing high levels of psychopathic traits throughout adolescence, report high levels of delinquent behavior, and also experience dysfunctional relationships with their parents. Further, the results reveal important subgroups of adolescents with high levels of psychopathic traits, much in accordance with the literature on adult psychopaths. Whereas one group expresses the personality style of primary psychopaths, another is more aggressive, impulsive, and anxious than the other. Taken together, the results of this dissertation suggest that some adolescents are at particular risk of future negative development. Implications for theory and practice, and for the directions of future research, are discussed.

Introduction: African American adolescents have a higher prevalence of risky sexual behavior compared to Hispanic and White adolescents. African American adolescents account for 65% of HIV diagnoses among individuals aged 13 to 24 years (Jackson et al., 2015). The rising rate of new STI and HIV cases remains a public health concern and the need for intervention in target populations is outstanding. The objective of this study is to measure the association between alcohol and other substance use and risky sexual behaviors in African American adolescents in the United States. Methods: Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2015 National Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBS) was used in this study. SAS 9.3 software package was used for descriptive analysis, univariate logistic regression, and multivariate logistic regression of assessing the relationship between alcohol and drug use with risky sexual behaviors in black adolescents in comparison with white adolescents. Results: When controlling for age, gender, and all other variables, African American adolescents that reported ever consuming alcohol were 2.2 (OR=2.2 95% CI=1.6-3.2 p= <.0001) times more likely to ever had sex, 3.8 (OR=3.8 95% CI= 2.9-4.9 p= <.0001) times more likely to have had sex with 4 or more people in the past 3 months, and 1.3 (OR=1.3 95% CI=0.8-2.1 p= <.0001) times more likely to have had sexual intercourse with at least 4 people in their lifetime. When asked if they ever used marijuana, adolescents that reported at least once were 4.5 (OR=4.5 95% CI= 3.2-6.5 p=<.0001) likely to have engaged in sexual intercourse, 3.8 (OR=3.8 95% CI=2.6-5.5 p= <.0001) times more likely to have had sex with four or more people in the past 3 months, and 6.1 (OR=6.1 95% CI=3.7-10.2 p= <.0001) times more likely to have at least 4 sexual partners in their lifetime. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that use of illicit substances does increase risky sexual behaviors in African American Adolescents. Further implications of this study can be utilized in the development of intervention programs. Intervention programs should target African American adolescents that engage in risky sexual behaviors and any substance use.

The focus of this thesis is economic evaluations of programs and interventions regarding children and adolescents with mental health issues, victimization, and intellectual disabilities (ID). The first paper examines a potential link between mental health issues among adolescent and the class-size of the school class they are enrolled in. The class-size and schools’ financial resources is often at the center of policy debates. Our results suggest that there is no evidence that larger classes have negative impact on the mental health for adolescents in a Swedish context. The second paper investigate the societal willingness to pay (WTP) to reduce bullying in Swedish schools. The results suggest that the tax payers WTP is about 5 SEK and the societal is about 600 000 SEK per reduced bullying victim. This value of WTP could be used as a measure to evaluate different investments in anti-bullying programs and efforts to reduce the bullying in schools. The third paper estimates the cost-effectiveness of one recently introduced antibullying program, the Finnish KiVa program, one of the few evidence based programs in the world. Based on a decision-analytic model, the results indicate that the KiVa program is a cost-effective program that has a cost per reduced victim well below the WTP as estimated in the second paper as documented above. The fourth paper evaluates, from the municipality perspective, the effects of investing in a SE program compared to “business as usual” in order to increase the likelihood for gaining regular employment for the pupils with ID. The results indicate that it takes 9 years before breakeven is reached if investing in the SE program. The fifth paper conducts a decision-analytic economic evaluation of the SE program using simulations to assess the effects over the full life-course. The results suggest that from a societal perspective the program is cost-effective ten years after the investment and by then has generated a benefit of 17 000 SEK per individual.

Research suggests that optimising affect during exercise may be key to exercise adherence (Van Landuyt, Ekkekakis, Hall & Petruzzello, 2000; Williams et al. 2008; 2012). Recent advances in this area have explored factors that contribute to affective responses in adult populations (Ekkekakis, 2003), but whilst it has been hypothesised that these factors are the same for children and adolescents they have not been explored systematically in the same way. As such, one aim of this thesis was to investigate the relationships between affect and physical activity in child and adolescent populations. Following on from this, a further aim was to explore the factors that contribute to affective responses. Given the research that suggests positive affect experienced during exercise may result in enhanced adherence to physical activity (Williams et al. 2012), the final aim of this study was to determine how to elicit the most positive affective responses during an acute exercise session. This thesis comprises a review of relevant literature, and six study chapters which were the result of three empirical studies; two acute exercise studies and one questionnaire based study. The findings of Study 1 demonstrated that, as with adults, affective responses declined after the onset of ventilatory threshold in both children and adolescents, indicating that to achieve optimum affective responses, particularly with younger children, exercise needs to be prescribed at an intensity below the ventilatory threshold. The findings from studies 2 - 4 highlighted specific factors that contribute to affective responses, reporting that preference for, and tolerance of, different exercise intensities may be an important factor to consider when prescribing exercise (studies 2 & 4). Results also showed that affective associations with physical activity played a significant role in determining overall physical activity behaviour (study 3). The findings from studies 4 and 5a and b revealed that encouraging adolescents to self-select their own exercise intensity may elicit a more positive affective response during the exercise session compared to the affective responses elicited during a prescribed exercise session. This thesis provides substantial evidence to support the link between affect and physical activity in children and adolescents. More specifically, it highlights several important factors that should be considered when attempting to enhance affective responses during an acute exercise session.