This study was conducted to explore the relationship between social support and youth violence by testing the relationships between violence victimization, violence exposure, violence perpetration, delinquency, and the moderating variable of social support for rural female adolescents in the United States. This research, guided by the social disorganization theory, involved analyses of data from Wave 3 of the National Survey for Children's Exposure to Violence. The logistic regression analyses (n = 278; female; rural area; mean age 13.5) showed no moderating effect of social support on youth violence perpetration. However, there was a positive association between delinquency and violence perpetration, and a relationship between violence victimization in the forms of child maltreatment, exposure to peer victimization, exposure to sibling victimization, exposure to family violence, witnessing violence, and indirect victimization and violence perpetration. The research contributes to positive social change by providing more evidence about the gender-specific needs of rural adolescent females. This evidence may be used in the development of sustainable violence prevention programs and other services designed to prevent child maltreatment and other forms of violence exposure and victimizations, and subsequent violence perpetration.

Physical activity programs are contexts that have the potential to foster adolescents’ development, yet researchers assert that the environment must be deliberately designed for this to occur (Danish et al., 2004). The Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (GJWHF) program was developed for this purpose and was implemented over the course of one year at a local Boys and Girls Club. The objective of this research project was to evaluate the GJWHF program as there is a dearth of evaluations of community-based programs (Salmon et al., 2007). Results identified successes, challenges, and practical recommendations for community programmers. Further, results found that GJWHF adhered to Petitpas et al.’s (2005) framework for planning youth sport programs that foster psychosocial development. Specifically, GJWHF was successful in providing a positive and supportive female-only environment for female youth that utilized positive leader support to foster the development of friendships and identity formation, and facilitate the development of a variety of life skills, including leadership and teamwork.

Physical activity programs are contexts that have the potential to foster adolescents’ development, yet researchers assert that the environment must be deliberately designed for this to occur (Danish et al., 2004). The Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (GJWHF) program was developed for this purpose and was implemented over the course of one year at a local Boys and Girls Club. The objective of this research project was to evaluate the GJWHF program as there is a dearth of evaluations of community-based programs (Salmon et al., 2007). Results identified successes, challenges, and practical recommendations for community programmers. Further, results found that GJWHF adhered to Petitpas et al.’s (2005) framework for planning youth sport programs that foster psychosocial development. Specifically, GJWHF was successful in providing a positive and supportive female-only environment for female youth that utilized positive leader support to foster the development of friendships and identity formation, and facilitate the development of a variety of life skills, including leadership and teamwork.

Like other developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa is faced with the following social welfare issues: teenage pregnancies, high HIV rates, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and a high number of abortions. South Africa is dealing with the repercussions of risky sexual behaviour of female youth on a daily basis and these include: youth with STDs, teenage pregnancies, HIV infection, cervical cancer, abortion, and youth selling their bodies for money. All of these can lead to serious health risks. There are psychological and behavioural factors associated with the risk of STDs like Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (Gebregiorgis, 2000:15). Gebregiorgis reported that understanding sexual risk behaviours is one of the most important issues in preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS. Doing so will result in the design and implementation of health education programmes with the view of preventing these infections, or at least minimising their occurrence (Damtie, 2013:1). Very limited research has been done on this topic in South Africa and Africa. A need for a similar study was recommended in Ethiopia, where it was stated that no published empirical studies were available on factors relating to sexual risk behaviours in rural districts such as the Enemay District, East Gojjam Zone of Ethiopia (Anemaw, 2009:5). Hence, this study will explore and describe factors that may influence female youths to engage in unsafe sexual behaviours. The focus of the study was on the risky sexual behaviour of female youth in rural and urban areas. The goal of the study was to explore and describe the nature and consequences of risky sexual behaviour of female youth in rural and urban areas. The research question of this study was: do female youth in urban and rural areas have insight regarding the nature and consequences of their risky sexual behaviour? A qualitative approach was followed with a case study research design, as the researcher wanted to compare cases in urban and rural areas. The population was school-going females aged between 18 and 20 years in Gauteng province. There were two targeted groups of population. The first one was in Kameeldrift Village, Hammanskraal in Tshwane Municipality, Gauteng province, classified as a rural area. The second population was in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni Municipality, Gauteng province, classified as an urban area. In this study non-probability, purposive sampling was used to generate a sample. The criteria for sampling participants were as follows: ? Female youth between the ages of 18 and 20 years old. ? Female youth who are sexually active, as they request contraceptives at the clinic. ? Female youth who are from Ivory Park in Tembisa and Kameeldrift Village in Hammanskraal, both in Gauteng. Twelve participants, namely six female youth from a rural area and six from an urban area, who were at the above-mentioned clinics to access family planning within the above-mentioned age groups were chosen for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants individually. Interviews were voice recorded with the permission of the participants and were transcribed by the researcher. The data was analysed by the researcher and themes and sub-themes were generated. The research findings were presented by providing a profile of the research participants and presenting a thematic analysis of the themes and sub-themes, including literature and verbatim quotes from the transcriptions to support the findings. The themes included the following: Theme 1 Knowledge of female youth regarding reproductive health; Theme 2 Knowledge of preventative measures and prevention of pregnancy; Theme 3 Sexual risk behaviour and exploration of multiple sexual partners or concurrent partners; Theme 4 Consequences of risky sexual behaviour; and Theme 5 Attitudes experienced as a result of consequences of risky sexual behaviour. The conclusions of this study reflect that that a limited understanding of reproductive health is a contributing factor to the sexual risk behaviour displayed by female youths in both rural and urban areas. It was further concluded that fear of dealing with the consequences of risky sexual behaviour does not prevent female youth from early sexual debut. Another conclusion is that early sexual debut is the biggest factor to risky sexual behaviour, as the majority of participants started engaging in sexual activities very early in life while they were not mature enough to negotiate safer sex practices. Recommendations of this study can be used by professionals working with female youth in the health field in order to understand the dynamics involved, such as the biological, psychological, and social influences that result in the sexual behaviour of female youth. These will address the complex issues related to environmental influences that shape risky sexual behaviour of female youth. / Mini Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW / Unrestricted

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-05-09T14:53:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 leticiarochamoreira.pdf: 3188945 bytes, checksum: ff3eb851a22f4d47e1f78c9c50d2b90d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-06-08T15:57:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 leticiarochamoreira.pdf: 3188945 bytes, checksum: ff3eb851a22f4d47e1f78c9c50d2b90d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-08T15:57:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 leticiarochamoreira.pdf: 3188945 bytes, checksum: ff3eb851a22f4d47e1f78c9c50d2b90d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-05-18 / FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / A juventude atual está cada vez mais vinculada ao ciberespaço, e nele compartilha boa parte de suas representações. Nessa perspectiva, este estudo elege um blog – “Depois dos Quinze” – como campo de investigação. Justifica-se a pesquisa pelo interesse em trazer situações de vida dos jovens na contemporaneidade para pensá-las nos contextos escolares, considerando que a temática do corpo, do emagrecimento, de suas ciladas e resistências frequentemente preocupa a juventude na contemporaneidade. O objetivo foi desvelar as representações de corpo entre mulheres jovens, a partir das postagens das blogueiras e comentários de suas seguidoras. A pesquisa foi realizada a partir de uma etnografia no ciberespaço do blog. Selecionamos cinco postagens que convergiam com a representação do corpo: “Como descobri que nunca fui gorda”, com 19 comentários; “O reflexo e eu”, em que obtivemos 04 comentários; “Corpão”, em que coletamos 78 comentários; “Superando os próprios preconceitos”, com 04 comentários relevantes; e “Look: Garfield Del Rey”, com 12 comentários. Emergiram dessas postagens quatro temas que analisamos no decorrer da pesquisa, a saber: “corpo ideal”, “cuidados de si”, “grupos de estilo” e “protagonismo do blog como lócus de construção de novas identidades juvenis femininas”. Como conclusão, verificou-se que as jovens seguidoras do blog, em constante interação, constroem novas identidades, empoderam-se virtual e simbolicamente. e assim superam a condição de não estarem no padrão de corpo hegemônico. Mesmo sendo um espaço que veicula produtos, propagandas, simbolizando a cultura do consumo, o blog é transformado por essas jovens em um espaço emancipador, na medida em que constroem um protagonismo juvenil diante das postagens das blogueiras e dos comentários das seguidoras, constituindo um grupo de estilo por meio da reafirmação das diferenças. / Youth today is increasingly linked to cyberspace, and it shared much of its representations, from this point of view, this study has chosen a blog called "Depois dos Quinze” (After Fifteen) as the research matter. The research is justified in the interest of bringing real-life situations of young people nowadays to analyze them in educational contexts considering that themes about the body, weight loss, their pitfalls, and resistance often worries young people nowadays. The aim was to reveal body representations among young women departing from the posts of bloggers and comments from their followers. The survey was conducted from an ethnographical study on the blog on the cyberspace. Five posts that converged with the representation of the body were selected: ": “Como descobri que nunca fui gorda (How I found out that I was never fat) with 19 comments; “O reflexo e eu” (The reflection and I), with 04 comments; "Corpão" (Super hot body) with 78 comments; “Superando os próprios preconceitos” (Overcoming my own prejudices) with 04 comments; and "Look: Garfield Del Rey" with 12 comments. From these posts, four themes were analyzed during the research, namely: "ideal body", "self care", "style groups" and "the role of the blog as a place of construction of new female juvenile identities." In conclusion, it was found that the young followers of the blog, in constant interaction, build new identities, empower themselves virtually and symbolically, and thus overcome the condition of not having the hegemonic body pattern. The blog even being a space that conveys products, advertisements, symbolizing the consumer culture, is transformed by these young people into an emancipatory space for they build a youth protagonism facing the posts of the bloggers and the comments of the followers, constituting a style group through the reaffirmation of the differences.

Involving Indigenous youth in health promotion research within the broader field of public health allows us to investigate health literacy, while promoting, protecting, and combating complex health issues. This project uses a community-engaged research approach, as well as a research workshop methodology and draws on qualitative methods to answer the following study objectives: (1) To what extent do female youth living on Six Nations Reserve No. 40 understand and engage in health promotion; (2) In what ways did a cornhusk doll workshop engage and strengthen female youth understanding on the topic of health promotion; and (3) What resources are necessary for female youth to successfully engage in health promotion. Findings were grouped into three main themes: Healthy Development, Healthy Relationships, and Healthy Policies. / Thesis / Master of Public Health (MPH)

Bei der hier vorzustellenden Arbeit handelt es sich um eine qualitative Langzeitstudie, die sich mit dem politischem Interesse von acht jungen Frauen in Brandenburg im Alter von 16 bis 20/21 Jahren, dem Alter, in dem sich die bisher ausgebildete individuelle politische Identität stabilisiert, beschäftigt. Die politische Identitätsbildung jugendlicher Schüler und Schülerinnen zu unterstützen, sie auf die Übernahme der Rolle eines mündigen Bürgers bzw. einer mündigen Bürgerin vorzubereiten und demokratisches Bewusstsein zu fördern, gilt als wichtiges Ziel politischer Bildung in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. In diesem Konzept verbinden sich die aus psychologischer Sicht zu bewältigenden Entwicklungsaufgaben, die mit der Suche nach einem Platz in der Gemeinschaft (Erikson 1950, 1959, 1968) verbunden sind, mit einer Sicht des politischen Systems, nach der dessen Stabilität maßgeblich von der Legitimation seiner Mitglieder und deren Bereitschaft zur politischen Beteiligung abhängt (Easton 1965, 1975).<br><br> Die Herausbildung politischer Identität und die damit verbundenen Einstellungen und Verhaltensweisen Jugendlicher werden durch die Jugendforschung auf vielfältige Art und Weise untersucht. Nach dem politischen Identitätskonzept von Fend (1991) können politische Einstellungen und Verhaltensweisen nach affektiv-motivationalen, kognitiven und Verhaltensaspekten differenziert betrachtet werden. „Politisches Interesse“ kann als ein Konstrukt gesehen werden, welches im Schnittpunkt dieser drei Dimensionen liegt, da es sowohl motivationale, kognitive als auch handlungsbezogene Aspekte beinhaltet. Ihm kommt als motivationale Basis eine wichtige Bedeutung für die politische Exploration und politische Partizipation, und damit für die politische Identitätsentwicklung zu.<br><br> In empirischen Untersuchungen wird immer wieder festgestellt, dass das für die politische Identitätsentwicklung so bedeutsame politische Interesse bei jungen Frauen im Vergleich zu jungen Männern niedriger ausfällt. Junge Frauen zeigen eine geringere Bereitschaft, sich mit Politik zu beschäftigen, sie fühlen sich politisch inkompetenter und glauben in stärkerem Maße als ihre männlichen Altersgenossen, keinen Einfluss auf die Politik nehmen zu können (vgl. z.B. Fend 1991; Hoffmann-Lange 1995; Verba et al. 1995; Gille et al. 2000; Torney-Purta et al. 2001; Jugendwerk der Deutschen Shell 2000; 2002; Brandenburger Jugendlängsschnitt). Diese vorgefundenen Geschlechtsunterschiede werden auf unterschiedliche Art und Weise erklärt.<br><br> In der empirischen Jugendforschung wird im Allgemeinen eine Single-Item-Frage zur Erfassung von politischem Interesse genutzt. Diese kann nicht als ausreichend angesehen werden, wenn es darum geht, der These nachzugehen, dass weibliche Jugendliche nicht unbedingt politisch weniger, sondern politisch anders interessiert sind als männliche Jugendliche. Arbeiten, die das politische Interesse differenzierter erfassen, belegen dies bereits (vgl. z.B. Kuhn et al. 1998; Oesterreich 2002; Albert et al. 2003; Kuhn/Schmid 2004) <br><br> Diese Arbeit soll dazu beitragen, dass politische Interesse von weiblichen Jugendlichen mittels qualitativer Daten weiterführend zu erklären. Anhand verschiedener Fragen wird dem politischen Interesse weiblicher Gymnasiastinnen aus Brandenburg in seinem Zusammenhang mit dem Informationsverhalten und dem Stellenwert, den Vertrauen in Politik und gegenüber Politikern für die Jugendlichen hat, nachgegangen. / The essay (qualitative long term study) presents perspectives on the political interest of eight young women in the federal state of Brandenburg/Germany between the age of 16-21, an age by which they have achieved an individual political identity.<br><br> German politics aim at supporting, inspiring and preparing adolescents in order to create responsible citizens and to promote a democratic awareness. From a psychological perspective, this concept includes developmental tasks to be coped with as for example the search for a place in society (Erikson 1950, 1959, 1968) and an understanding of the political system as the warrant of stability depending on the legitimate members of the system and their readiness to participate in it (Easton 1965, 1975).<br><br> There are many different critical approaches towards understanding the development of political identity as well as the attitudes and behaviour of adolescents. According to the concept of identity developed by Fend (1991), political identity and behaviour are differentiated into affective-motivational and cognitive aspects. Political interest is attributed to both motivational and cognitive aspects and thus can serve as a central indicative concept for the process of the forming of a political identity. On the one hand, political interest constitutes an important motivational precondition to a maintained interest in political processes and participation. On the other hand, the motivation to stay informed about ongoing political issues promotes the perpetual increase of knowledge as well as the growth of the competence to analyse and act. <br><br> In empirical research, the political interest of young women, which is essential for the development of a political identity, has been repeatedly characterized as lower than that of young men. In comparison to their male contemporaries females show less motivation to deal with politics, they feel less politically competent and are more ready to believe in having no influence on politics (cp. Fend 1991; Hoffmann-Lange 1995; Verba et al. 1995; Gille et al. 2000; Torney-Purta et al. 2001; Jugendwerk der deutschen Shell 2000; 2002; Brandenburger Jugendlängsschnitt). These differences between the genders have received multiple explanations.<br><br> In empirical youth research, one particular question is generally used to assess political interest. Yet, this procedure is inadequate when it comes to finding evidence for the idea that female adolescents are not necessarily less interested in politics, but that they have a different kind of interest than their male counterparts. Essays that approach political interest in a more differentiated way have already provided evidence for this(cp. Kuhn et al. 1998; Oesterreich 2002, Albert et al. 2003, Kuhn/Schmid 2004).<br><br> This essay shall provide further insight into the political interest of female adolescents on the basis of qualitative data. Using different types of questions, the political interest of high school students in the federal state of Brandenburg, studying towards A-level is evaluated with regard to the behaviour concerning the level of concern, trust and appreciation invested in politics and politicians by female adolescents.

Thesis ( M.A.( Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / This study presents qualitative findings on lived experiences of migrant female youth in Musina, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Studies reveal that young females, more especially those from the African continent, migrate to foreign countries in large numbers for better livelihoods. A growing number of women, African women in particular, migrate more than ever to meet their own or their families’ economic needs. Some, of course, flee from wars and mostly migrate for better living conditions. Several studies show that many of these women migrate to South Africa. This is because South Africa is amongst the continent’s most popular destinations for Africa’s female migrants. Upon their arrival in South Africa, studies reveal that migrant female youth are faced with a vast number of challenges such as poverty and exclusion from accessing basic services. It is from this background that this study sought to explore lived experiences of migrant female youth in Musina. Nine female migrant youth accommodated by a church shelter in Musina were purposively and conveniently selected to participate in the study. Semi-structured face to face interviews were used to purposefully collect data that saturated at participant number 9. Thematic data analysis was used with the assistance of the Nvivo software to manage and organise data. The narrative theory was used in the study as it allowed the researcher insight and understanding when migrant female youth narrated their experiences and challenges they encounter as migrants in a foreign country. Findings reveal that many female migrant youths illegally migrate to South Africa in search of better livelihoods that are unavailable in their countries of origin. Furthermore, findings indicated that migrant female youth find themselves living in extreme poverty in the host country. However, the female youth employ various coping strategies for their sustainable livelihoods. They also experience exclusion from accessing healthcare services and face blatant xenophobia in the hands of local South Africans. It can therefore be concluded that migrant female youth face a number of challenges in their everyday lives as migrants in South Africa. It could also be helpful to integrate South Africa’s basic service delivery to include services for female migrant youth. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

A comprehensive literature review indicated that there is a dearth of research focusing on female youth sex offenders and even less is known about the perceptions of female youth sex offenders regarding the factors that contributed to their offending. This study explores the perceptions of female youth sex offenders regarding their reasons for offending. The female youth sex offenders in this study indicated that various factors as discussed below contributed to their offending. The empirical findings of this study confirmed that female youth sex offenders are of the opinion that certain problems within their families possibly contributed to their offending behaviour. Some of these characteristics include factors such as divorce, poor parenting skills, domestic violence, substance abuse and lack of basic care and safety, just to mention a few. Female youth sex offenders’ lack of assertiveness, low self-esteem and identity issues were other factors that most probably contributed to their sexual offending. When taking into account that the majority of the participants’ parents were unemployed, poverty was another factor that most likely played a contributory role. Due to poverty in the household some of these youth were forced to relocate to Girls’ Homes, change schools or drop out of school. In order to curb female youth sex offending one would need to address these factors in a multidisciplinary and holistic manner. This study reports an in-depth qualitative understanding of the perceptions of female youth sex offenders regarding factors that contributed to their offending. In addition the last objective of this study will be the formulation of recommendations to address female youth sex offending more effectively. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

La tesi analitza la relació entre el discurs sobre el cos de la premsa juvenil femenina i el de les lectores. Concretament les revistes investigades són You, Ragazza y Mujer 21. El objecte d'estudi s'aborda des d'un enfocament pluridisciplinar basat en el periodisme especialitzat i de servei, per una part, i en la sociologia de la joventut, del cos i del consum, per una altra. A més de comparar la relació entre el discurs sobre el cos de les revistes i el de les noies, la tesi estudia també la reapropiació simbòlica de significats que les lectores fan dels continguts i el sentit que els confereixen en el procés de construcció de la seva identitat. Per fer-ho es combinen tècniques quantitatives i qualitatives: l'anàlisi de contingut (portada, unitats redaccionals -titulars, textos i il·lustracions- i publicitat directa i indirecta) i l'anàlisi de recepció (grups de discussió i entrevistes en profunditat). / La tesis analiza la relación entre el discurso sobre el cuerpo de la prensa juvenil femenina y el de las lectoras. Concretamente las revistas investigadas son You, Ragazza y Mujer 21. El objeto de estudio se aborda desde un enfoque pluridisciplinar basado en el periodismo especializado y de servicio, por una parte, y en la sociología de la juventud, del cuerpo y del consumo, por otra. Además de comparar la relación entre el discurso sobre el cuerpo de las revistas y el de las chicas, la tesis estudia también la reapropiación simbólica de significados que las lectoras hacen de los contenidos y el sentido que les confieren en el proceso de construcción de su identidad. Para ello se combinan técnicas cuantitativas y cualitativas: el análisis de contenido (portada, unidades redaccionales -titulares, textos e ilustraciones- y publicidad directa e indirecta) y el análisis de recepción (grupos de discusión y entrevistas en profundidad). / This research analyzes the relationship between the discourse on the body of female teen magazines and the discourse of the redears. In concrete the research was done on the spanish magazines You, Ragazza and Mujer 21. The approach to the object of study is multidisciplinary: on one side, specializing journalism and service journalism and, on the other side, sociology of youth, of the body and of consumption. Beside comparing the relation between the discourse on the body of the magazines and that of the girls, the thesis studies also the symbolic reappropriation of meanings that the readers do of the contents and the sense that they award them in the process of construction of their identity. This research combines quantitative and qualitative methodologies: content analysis (front page, text and illustrations, and direct and indirect advertising) and reception analysis (focus group and interviews).