Adolescence and emerging adulthood are transition points that offer both opportunities and constraints on individual development. The purpose of this study is threefold: First, to examine two models (i.e., young adolescents in grades 7 and 8 and older adolescents in grade 12) of heavy episodic drinking and examine how heavy episodic drinking affects subsequent educational attainment. By utilizing two different developmental transitions, i.e., middle school to high school and high school to college, it may be possible to better understand the temporal effects of alcohol use and subsequent educational attainment. The second purpose of this study is to examine how alcohol use at Time 1 may lead to the problems in the adolescent’s immediate context due to alcohol (i.e., problems with parents, peers, romantic relationships, problems at school) and to examine if these problems affect educational attainment over and above alcohol use alone. The third purpose of this study is to examine the potential gender differences in these models. The study uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which is a large scale, nationally representative school based sample of 20,745 adolescents who were interviewed in grades 7 to 12. Two longitudinal mediational models were evaluated utilizing structural equation modeling. Binge drinking and number of days drunk were used as indicators for a latent variable of heavy episodic drinking (i.e., LHED). In the 7th and 8th grade model, direct effects of LHED were found to predict educational attainment at grade 12. Additionally, in the 7th and 8th grade sample, a mediated relationship was found whereby educational attainment was predicted by problems with parents. Problems with parents were predicted by number of days drunk in the past year. In the 12th grade sample, there were no direct effects or indirect effects of alcohol on educational attainment. This study highlights the need for using a longitudinal framework when examining heavy episodic drinking’s effects on educational attainment.

It has been argued that contemporary Euro-Canadian teaching practices conflict with traditional Aboriginal teaching practices resulting in the current widespread lack of academic achievement for many Aboriginal students. Of particular concern is the area of print literacy, as achievement in this area has been linked to academic success. This is an area where Aboriginal students in British Columbia score well below their non-Aboriginal counterparts on tests such as the Foundation Skills Assessment. By reviewing traditional Aboriginal ways of transmitting knowledge, it is possible to understand the reason why contemporary Euro-Canadian teaching practices may be inappropriate for Aboriginal students. Drawing on Delpit’s ‘codes of power’ and educational interpretations of Bakhtin’s literary theory, I explore the notion that it is possible for Aboriginal students to be academically successful within the Euro-Canadian system while retaining their traditional Aboriginal identity and ways of knowing. Findings from this exploratory case study, which occurred at a secondary school in a remote Aboriginal community in northern British Columbia, are shared. Interviews with six Aboriginal adolescent students and three non-Aboriginal teachers, as well as personal reflections are also considered. By reexamining the assumptions and beliefs about contemporary Euro-Canadian teaching practices and seeking to learn more about traditional Aboriginal teaching practices, it is anticipated that educators can integrate the strengths of both approaches into their teaching. It is believed that this will enhance success for Aboriginal students in both Aboriginal and Euro-Canadian contexts. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate

The extant research on the experiences of lesbian/gay, bisexual, and questioning —unsure- (LGBQ) youth shows that they have a lower sense of belonging and safety a tschool, are more likely to be victims of various types of bullying and to skip school, and use drugs and alcohol than their straight peers. Lately, however, a shift in direction towards examining the protective factors, which promote the well being of LGBQ youth, is happening. Extending the emerging research on this shift, the present study investigated the role of supportive adults at school in predicting LGBQ youth sense of safety and belonging. Also, this study examined whether adult support moderated the relationship between sexual orientation victimization and skipping school for LGBQ youth separately. The participants in this study (N = 19,551) were students (grades 8 through 12) enrolled in high schools that took part in a district-wide survey in a large, ethnically and economically diverse urban school district in British Columbia. Results showed that perceptions of adult support played a significant role in predicting the safety and belonging of LGBQ youth. Adult support significantly moderated the relationship between sexual orientation victimization and skipping school for bisexual and questioning youth but not for lesbian/gay youth. The implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed in the last section of this thesis. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

South Africa is a country where those who were oppressed in the past are trying to live in a society with their former oppressors. The youth of today appear to be carrying the anger, fears and uncertainties of the past. This could be the result of intergenerational transmission of prejudice, whereby memories of experiences, fears, anger and levels of anxiety may be absorbed by the next generation. The purpose of this study was to develop and implement an intervention programme that could assist adolescent learners in making their own informed decisions, despite the influences of the intergenerational transmission of prejudice. This was achieved by combining three theories, namely the transgenerational theory, historical trauma and social learning theory, with the principles of bibliotherapy. The research conducted was based in the interpretive paradigm, with the study methodology being qualitative in nature. The research design implemented was a case study. Data generation was achieved by utilising a variety of methods, namely open-ended questions, small focus groups and reflection journals. Analysis of the data was accomplished by applying a thematic analysis approach. The sample for this study was selected from a local, government high school and the participants consisted of a group of Grade 10 learners, who all held leadership positions in the school. The purpose of this study was achieved by utilising the principles of bibliotherapy to inform a programme to develop awareness of intergenerational transmission of prejudice. This was then combined with the principles of bibliotherapy, with scenarios taken from the animated film, The Land Before Time, to further assist in creating awareness and a better understanding of the intergenerational transmission of knowledge. Finally, the programme was used to equip the participants with the tools needed, to transfer what they had learnt from the programme to decisions they would need to make in their daily lives. This study has shown that the principles of bibliotherapy can be used to promote and develop awareness of intergenerational transmission of prejudice in adolescent learners.

No description available.

Youth depression is a serious mental health disorder that may have detrimental consequences. Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin before the age of 14 (Hagan, Shaw, & Duncan, 2008). Depression in youth is linked to increased morbidity and mortality, along with high-risk behaviors. Mental health and mood disorders are the leading cause of illness and burden among youth (Patel, 2013). Nationally, suicide is the third leading cause of death for individuals aged 15 to 24. In North Dakota, suicide is the first leading cause of death for individuals aged 15 to 24 (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 2016). Unfortunately, depression remains largely underdiagnosed and undertreated; only about 50 percent of youth with depression are diagnosed before they reach adulthood (Zuckerbrot, Cheung, Jensen, Stein, & Laraque, 2007). The purpose of this project was to improve the mental health of youth through increasing universal screening in the primary care setting, and improve the confidence and ability of the primary care provider to diagnose and treat youth depression. Primary care provider education was launched through collaboration with Essentia Health, providing education regarding youth depression focused on universal screening, identification of youth depression, and treatment modalities. To evaluate primary care provider education, a pretest/posttest was completed, along with key stakeholder interviews. Surveys demonstrated an increased intent to screen and increased confidence in identifying and managing youth depression. The interview with key stakeholders was used to determine the effectiveness and feasibility of universal screening and management of youth depression in the primary care setting.

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of D. LITT in Communication Science University of Zululand, South Africa, 2005. / In this dissertation I present the results of a literature survey on the reasons for demotivation among adolescents, and the role of communication in remotrvating demotivated adolescents, and a subsequent empirical survey of how adolescents feel about themselves and others of a group of grade 10 and 11 learners in the eThekwini region of the KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa. I report results on the respondents' self-conceptualisation, their family, how they feel about school, homework, school relationships, peer and finally regarding their health matters.

The incarceration of mentally ill youth is a serious problem not receiving the same attention as in adults. In this study, we examine the level of prior service utilization in incarcerated youth versus youth receiving community mental health services. We randomly recruited youth from middle South Carolina served by a local community mental health center (CMHC; n = 60), hospitalized in the state adolescent inpatient program (n = 50), and incarcerated in the S.C. Dept. of Juvenile Justice facilities (n = 75). We used a Services History to evaluate episodes of prior utilization of mental health, social service, educational, residential, and volunteer services, as well as the DISC-PC 2.3 to evaluate DSM-III-R diagnoses and symptoms and the CBCL and YSR to evaluate behavioral symptomatology. Incarcerated, hospitalized, and CMHC youth utilized similar levels of educational services and social services. Incarcerated youth had a significantly lower lifetime utilization of outpatient and acute mental health services and significantly higher utilization of out-of-home residential services than the other groups. These services utilization variables, along with gender and age, significantly distinguish incarcerated youth from the clinical groups, with clinical variables not serving to significantly distinguish them. Our results indicate the need to develop programs to prevent the entry of mentally ill/emotionally disturbed youth into the juvenile justice system. Youth who are at risk for incarceration may benefit from intensive mental health services to prevent out-of-home placement and later incarceration.

A significant number of American teens use and abuse illicit and addictive substances. The year 2010 will witness the largest numbers of adolescents in American history, so there is a clear need to improve our understanding of adolescent substance abuse disorders (SUDs) and to provide effective prevention and treatment. This review provides an examination of the scope of the problem, the progression of adolescent SUD, and developmental and risk factors that are unique to adolescents. It also discusses assessment, treatment, and prevention models available for adolescent SUD.

Schoolboy rugby injuries are a cause for concern in medical and non-medical circles, but few scientific investigations into their nature and frequency have been undertaken. The majority of reported rugby injury surveys are retrospective, have considered only specific injuries, or have reported only those seen at one location. Also, most studies have not distinguished minor injuries from major injuries. A pilot study conducted at one school in Cape Town during the 1982 rugby season, showed clear patterns of injury related to the age of players, their level of competition, playing position, the stage of the rugby season and the phase of play at the time of injury (Nathan et al. 198 3) . The studies as reported in this thesis were designed as a comprehensive follow-up study. The research methods and definition were similar but a much larger sample was studied and new areas not covered by the pilot study were introduced. During two 18-week seasons, in which approximately 4 700 players from 26 high schools played 6766 rugby matches, 905 players were prevented from participating in rugby for at least one week due to injury. The incidence and nature of injuries occurring to these players were followed in a prospective study and results were analysed for: (i) overall number and incidence of injured players; (ii) age-group and playing level; (iii) time of the season; (iv) phase of play; (v) playing position; (vi) type of injury; (vii) anatomical site; (viii) specific diagnoses; (ix) match vs practice injuries; (x) number of days off rugby; and (xi) medical treatment. The use of correspondence as a survey method resulted in 40 to 50% of injuries not being reported over the two-year period of the study. It appeared that the most accurate method of data collection was direct personal contact between the researcher and the injured player.