The aim of this thesis is to study the differences between traditional bullying and cyberbullying among adolescents, focusing on gender, psychosomatic problems, and disability, and to gain insight into health staff’s experience of bullying in schools. The four studies in this thesis were based on surveys undertaken among 3,800 adolescents in Grades 7, 8 and 9 in Sweden, as well as focus groups of 16 people consisting of school social workers and school nurses. While almost no gender differences were found among traditional victims, Study I showed that girls were more likely than boys to be cybervictims. Boys were more likely than girls to be traditional bullies, while girls were equally as likely as boys to be cyberbullies. Study II showed that psychosomatic problems were associated with being a victim, a bully or a bully-victim. Cyberbullying showed no stronger association with psychosomatic problems than traditional bullying. Study III: Three main categories emerged from school health staff’s experience: 1) “Anti-bullying team”; 2) “Working style”; and 3) “Perspectives on bullying”. The last two each comprised two sub-categories: “Team member”/“Single worker”; and “Contextual perspective”/“Individual-oriented perspective”. Study IV showed that, regardless of gender and grade, students with a disability were more likely to be bully-victims and, more particularly, bully-victims involved in both traditional bullying and cyberbullying. No differences between disabled adolescents and others were found with respect to the association between bullying and psychosomatic health. The results show that some adolescents are more likely to experience higher levels of psychosomatic health problems than others. They also show that some adolescents are more likely to be involved in bullying, either as victims, bullies or bully-victims. This thesis also discusses contextual and individual approaches adopted by schools in preventing bullying. / <p>Article 4 was in manuscriptform at the time of the thesis defense.</p>

The main aim of the study was to investigate adolescents’ perceptions of the paternal/father figures’ involvement in their sexuality education. Other aims included to determine adolescents’ perception of paternal/father figures’ knowledge of sexuality education; aspects/topics that are discussed; and the gender differences in paternal figures’ involvement with adolescents’ sexuality education. The study sample consisted of 67 adolescents aged between 13-19 years and was chosen through purposive, non-probability sampling technique from Illinge Secondary School at Vosloorus Township, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council. A questionnaire designed by the researcher was used to collect the data for the study. The results of the present study indicated that a small number of the adolescents perceive their paternal/father figures as involved in the discussion of sexuality matters. Nevertheless a highest number of the participants in the study perceive a paternal figure as a right source of sexuality education. However, the study shows that participants perceive their paternal figures as authoritarian and having poor communication about sexuality matters. This study indicated that there is no trend in adolescents’ perceptions of their paternal figures’ adequacy and inadequacy of knowledge regarding competency/incompetence in discussing sexuality topics. The main topic that the participants indicated to be receiving paternal figures’ attention is adolescents’ pregnancy and parenting. However, there is an indication that sexual intercourse is not mentioned as the antecedent to pregnancy. A large number of adolescents in this study indicated that there is a presence of a significant gender difference in the sexuality education. An increased father forum as well as involvement of social institutions and the professional and community based work force is recommended to address the need for father/paternal figures’ involvement in the sexuality education of adolescents.

This study explored adolescent township boys’ attitudes and perceptions towards sexual relationships. There has been substantial evidence in recent literature that violence against women is a problem worldwide and a growing concern, especially in South Africa (Human Rights Watch, 2001; Jewkes, Levin, Mbananga & Bradshaw, 2002; Statistics South Africa, 2005; Stats SA Archive, 2002). In addition, it appears that South African girls are more likely to be sexually assaulted by one, or more of their male classmates (Haffejee, 2006; Human Rights Watch, 2001; Mirsky, 2003; Posel, 2005). Moreover, adolescents’ attitudes regarding violence against girls have been found to help perpetuate such violence (Lewis, 2000; Varga, 2003; Vogelman, 1990). On the basis of the socialisation theory, it was postulated that the way in which a boy is socialised in his home, school, peer group and society at large, impacts on his attitudes and perceptions of rape and hence the incidence of sexual violence in South Africa (Vogelman, 1990). This study therefore aimed to understand and investigate male adolescents’ perceptions and attitudes towards gender stereotypes, sexual consent and rape supportive beliefs or myths, in particular, focusing on what the construct of ‘rape’ is perceived to be. The subjective world of adolescent township boys was explored within the qualitative paradigm. In investigating the research aims, 11 adolescent boys, aged between 16 and 19 attending one high school in Alexandra participated in the study. The research was conducted in the form of both semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups of 3-5 participants. Various psychological, social and emotional themes relating to the theory of socialisation were explored. The participants’ responses were recorded and then analysed utilising content analysis. From the analysis one can infer that society has got a major role to play in attitudes towards sexual assault and how it is dealt with. It was found that the majority of the participants in this study have adopted some rape supportive beliefs and ideas, and have been heavily encouraged to display, and hence do display some sexrole stereotypes and hegemonic masculinity. This study therefore supports the notion that socialisation factors play an important role in the development of stereotypical notions of sex role behaviour in adolescent males, which may further contribute to the incidence of rape.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are serious problems for adolescents and young people. To protect adolescents from these diseases, there is a need to educate them on STD prevention by providing them with relevant information and equipping them with the life skills that will enable them to put knowledge into practice. It is recommended that STD-prevention programmes should take into account sex differences. However, limited data are available on how adolescent boys and girls differ in knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding STD prevention in the same study setting. Aim: To examine sex differences in knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding STD prevention among junior secondary school pupils in the Kassena-Nankana district, Ghana. Design: This research report is based on secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional knowledge,attitude, and practice survey of sexual and reproductive health conducted among junior secondary school pupils in the Kassena-Nankana district in 2005. The original survey had been carried out before the subject ‘Adolescent sexual and reproductive health’ was initiated in junior secondary schools in this district as an intervention study. Responses from 6,225 school pupils aged 10-19 years (3,011 schoolboys and 3,214 schoolgirls) were analysed using StataTM version 9.0 software. Results: The study found that school pupils had unsatisfactory knowledge about STDs; boys tended to be more knowledgeable than girls (p < 0.05). In terms of attitude towards condom use, a significantly higher percentage of boys (70%) compared with girls (61%) felt confident about insisting on condom use whenever they had sex. However, boys were more likely to be involved in sexual risk behaviours than girls. Eighteen percent of boys and 8% of girls reported being sexually experienced (p < 0.05). Boys started having sex earlier than girls (at 14.5 compared with 15.1 years, p < 0.05). Sixty-two percent of boys had sex with multiple partners compared with 32% of girls (p < 0.05). The mean number of lifetime sexual partners of boys and girls was 4.2 and 2.5, respectively (p < 0.05). The percentage of people reporting non-use of condoms during last sexual encounter was significantly higher among boys (37%) than girls (29%). Differences were observed in association of knowledge and attitudes regarding STD prevention with sexual activities among both boys and girls.

A growing body of research exists that examines the nature of i n tervent ions aimed at educa ting adolescents in t e rms of HIV and AIDS (Campbell, 2003; Campbell & McPhail, 2002; Van Dyk, 2001). However, there appears to be a grave pauci ty of l i t e rature that explor es the impact of HIV and AIDS on adolescents’ psychological and emotional functioning. Adolescents who live in the af t e rmath following the death of a parent, or parents often have to deal with rejection from thei r community, and are often confronted with significant emo t ional, educa tional and psycho-social challenges. These cha llenges continue to pose enormous threat to the development of a healthy s e lf-concept (Foster & Germann, 2002). These adolescents continue to be marginalized as their voices remain largely s i l e n t in contemporar y research . Using a combination of Art therapy, and narr ative creation, twenty-eight adolescents participated in a group intervention intended to facilitate, empower and encourage meaning making processes, and to f ac i l i t at e both oral and wr i t ten communica tion about the i r exper iences of living wi th HIV and AIDS. Findings suggest that while adolescents living with HIV and AIDS continue to have significant emotional, physiological, and social cha l lenges on a daily basis, their stories espouse great hope, determination and resilience.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University