A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Sociology at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2015 / The KwaSomkhele Reserve, the rural area of Mtubatuba has had a noticeable increase of adolescents who got infected with HI-Virus in the area in recent years. Hence, the researcher became interested to investigate the conditions leading to increased HIV infections amongst adolescents. The reasons for the continued increase of HIV infections regardless of massive campaigns that were conducted in their area were investigated. To give meaning to the objectives of the study, the sampling of 200 adolescents was targeted as participants in the initial stages of the research which included both school children and out of school adolescents. Availability sampling was chosen for this study. It is a method of choosing subjects who are available to find. The primary advantage of this method is that it is easy to carry out, relatively to other methods. Availability sampling is a non-probability sampling. The subjects in the non-probability sampling are also selected conveniently for the ease of data and it entails lower costs (Othman et al, 2013:133). However, due to the challenges that were experienced with the Department of Education in terms of the protocols to be followed, only 100 out of school youth as participants were interviewed. It was discovered that the adolescents of KwaSomkhele were aware of HIV/AIDS through HIV/AIDS programs that had been conducted by different government departments in their area, but most of them chose to ignore the information given to them. Conclusions were drawn and recommendations were made based on the objectives of the study and theories that were used. The researcher has learnt that adolescents are the most vulnerable group in our society because they are faced with the critical transition of moving from puberty stage to adulthood. That transition sometimes forced them to take uninformed decisions and engaged in reckless and risky behaviors which could sometimes lead some of them to be infected by HI-Virus. As a solution to that, the researcher suggests the involvement of stakeholders in providing the necessary support and promoting good and acceptable behaviors by adolescents.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Latinos comprise the largest minority population in the United States. Research underscores the many positive effects that mentors can have on Latino adolescents who lack a male role model living in the home. Mentors can provide support and teach helpful skills that can be applied to multiple life domains needed throughout a person’s lifespan. There are many different types of mentoring services and styles available to adolescents. Yet, there are specific gaps and room for growth within the scholarly literature regarding Latino adolescents that need to be addressed. Shining light and allowing their narratives to be heard and understood in greater depth can promote more effective mentoring programs for Latino adolescents. A qualitative study was conducted using Narrative Analysis involving face-to-face interviews with Latino male adolescents who have lived with a single mother and were participating in a mentoring program. The aim of this study was to obtain valuable first-hand insight and recommendations with regard to adolescents’ experiences regarding the absence of a male role model at home, their participation in mentoring services, as well as their recommendations for improving mentoring programs for Latino adolescents. Key findings included the many benefits that stem from the mentees being involved in their mentoring program, the importance of the mentees’ mothers and other positive supports in their lives, as well as the mentees’ helpful recommendations for their mentoring program.

As students mature the types and frequency of stressors increase with age. Notably, middle school can be a stressful transition period that includes new peer relationships and hormonal changes, along with an increased probability of experiencing bullying and suicide ideation. Stress has been shown to have negative effects in psychological and physiological functioning among adolescents (Brietzke et al., 2012; De Young, Kenardy, & Cobham, 2011; Green et al., 2010). Effective coping skills can help to buffer these issues, giving adolescents a repertoire of tools to use. Along with that, proper emotional regulation has been shown decrease the negative effects of stress on adolescents (Berking & Whitley, 2014; Braet et al., 2014; Moriya & Takashi, 2013). These skills may be particularly important amongst adolescents living in rural areas, as they face unique and often more difficult challenges compared their urban counterparts (Imig, Bokemeier, Keefe, Struthers, & Imig, 1997; Sherman, 2006). However, research exploring rural populations is limited and does not focus on the mostly rural populated areas of the southern United States (Strong, Del Grosso, Burwick, Jethwani, & Ponza, 2005). To address the gaps in research, the purpose of the current study was to investigate if coping response styles predicted perceived stress scores in middle school students living in rural areas. Additionally, the purpose was to explore if emotional regulation moderated the relationship between coping and perceived stress. Multiple regression analysis was used to explore the predictability of coping on perceived stress scores (i.e., Perceived Stress Scale). Moreover, hierarchal regression analysis was used to explore moderation of emotional regulation on coping and perceived stress. Data were collected from a northeastern school in a rural area in Mississippi from a sample of 149 middle school students. The results indicated that coping is a statistically significant predictor of perceived stress scores, indicating that the better a student was at coping, the less likely he or she was to report perceived stress. Lastly, results revealed that a student’s emotional regulation does not strengthen or weaken their coping responses effect on perceived stress. Understanding how theses variables work together will provide educators with knowledge that is vital to development of prevention and intervention strategies.

Christian education and Christian formation (participation in Christian practice) are two approaches to faith nurture that have been embraced by the church. Each approach has a body of literature that describes and examines its respective approach. While both approaches are good and appropriate for use in the discipleship and nurture of adolescents, neither approach fully accounts for what occurs during faith formation. Hans-Georg Gadamer speaks about the fusion of horizons as a hermeneutic event. The horizon of Christian education and the horizon of Christian formation can be brought into dialogue, toward the creation of new understanding. Moving both horizons into dialogue will serve to elevate the significance of vision metaphors in faith formation. The perception of theological beauty plays a significant role in faith formation, unattended to by either contributing horizon's discourse. Theological beauty is represented to adolescents through the content of Christian teaching. The theological beauty is encountered by adolescents through formative practices of the church. In both cases the experience of beauty trains the attention and imagination on God. The theological beauty encountered in both avenues of nurture is the beauty of God’s own being. Theological beauty is perceived in part through language and discourse. Language is interpretive and disclosive. Careful descriptive discourse provides theological perception that is necessary for the Christian life. Language calls attention to theological beauty and theological beauty sustains this attention. At a life stage where abstract thought is beginning to develop, adolescents are beginning to be able to appreciate symbolic beauty. It is at this developmental stage that a sense of theological beauty and wonder can begin to be cultivated. Accompanying the discussion about the place of descriptive discourse is the guiding metaphor of the curator. The curatorial image represents ministry practice that carves out space for the encounter and appreciation of theological beauty. The “theological curator” draws young people’s attentions to the beauty of God's character, and the beauty of God’s personal call to them. The act of curation is also to make space for wonder as adolescents encounter God’s character and God’s call. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Studies have shown that, in the USA, 6 % of all surfers are at risk for developing an addiction that is damaging for the individual and the enviroment, 30 % use the internet to get away from anxiety and other negative feelings. The present study, which involved 847 adolescents in the community of Piteå, at junior and high school level, showed that 10% of the adolescent were in danger of developing Internet addiction, and 3% were problably already addicted. Teenagers are gereally at greater risk for this king of behaviour. The study showed that boys in the 9th grade were ecpecially vulnerable; they reported spending significantly mote time at the computer and the gave high ratings ont the 'risk questions' that other participants in the study. Interviews with five frequent Internet users showed a wide field of applications and different kind of internet addiction. Three of the five interviewees reported that they consider themselves to be addicted to the Internet, one of them also experienced severe anxiety, in part as a result from the internet use. In Sweden, little research has been carried out in this area., therefore this study is important. If something is to be classified as a "national illness" at least 1% must suffer from i. The results show that 3% of high school adolescents in this study may have reached that level.

Health disparities within Appalachian are not a new concept or challenge for the region, and the medical community, public health officials, and Appalachian scholars continue to look for ways to both understand the complex reasons behind the disparities and improve the health of people within the region. One challenge in Appalachia is how people obtain health information. Previous research shows adults in Appalachia tend to rely on friends and family instead of health care professionals for health information and advice, which contributes to the lack of health knowledge in the region; however, research is lacking on who adolescents in Appalachia discuss matters of health. One avenue to improving health in Appalachia may come from understanding with whom adolescents in Appalachia discuss matters of health and developing interventions around that information. From October 2016 through March 2017 the authors surveyed 829 11th and 12th students in three counties in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia regarding health and health care access. The authors specifically asked adolescents with whom they discuss health and health risks behaviors like weight, exercise, and alcohol use. Chi-squared tests were performed to examine differences among reports of where adolescents seek information. Results of the analyses revealed that adolescents do not tend report discussing health matters with health care professionals. Additionally sex differences were observed among adolescents seeking health information.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--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. / The purpose of this investigation into various aspects of time sense in adolescent delinquent boys was to test the hypothesis that: (1) delinquents are oriented more toward the immediate present than are their non-delinquent peers and (2) the "internal clocks" of delinquents run faster than those of non-delinquents. A fast "internal clock" implies small subjective temporal units, an overestimation of elapsed time, and a feeling that time passes slowly [TRUNCATED] / 2031-01-01

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

General nutritional strategies to promote whole body protein retention, particularly with relation to exercise, have been largely based on adult research that does not consider the dynamic process of growth and often ignores scenarios commonly experienced by children (e.g., exercise in the heat). Therefore, the aim of the experiments outlined in this thesis was to investigate the importance of post-exercise protein quantity and timing in active children, specifically with respect to whole body protein turnover. Chapter 4 demonstrated that a whole-food protein-containing beverage can impact whole body protein balance (WBPB) in healthy children following exercise. Specifically, consuming ~0.40 g·kg-1 of protein in the form of skim milk enhanced whole body nitrogen turnover (Q) and protein synthesis, resulting in a less negative WBPB compared with a carbohydrate electrolyte solution (CES) and water (W) over 16 h. It was also found that puberty and sex significantly affected WBPB. In order to elucidate the specific effects of protein, participants in Chapter 5 were provided with isoenergetic mixed macronutrient beverages containing graded levels of protein (0 g·kg-1, ~0.18 g·kg-1, and ~0.32 g·kg-1) following an acute bout of exercise. Net protein balance was increased in a dose-dependent manner early in recovery, but in order to sustain a net anabolic environment over an entire 24 h period it appears that larger protein intakes (~0.32 g·kg-1) are required. Finally, in Chapter 6 [1-13C]leucine infusion was used to confirm previous conclusions. Following an acute bout of exercise, graded levels of protein (0 g·kg-1, ~0.12 g·kg-1, ~0.22 g·kg-1and ~0.33 g·kg-1) acutely increased whole body leucine balance in a dose-dependent manner. However, in order to attain a positive WBPB over 24 h, multiple protein feedings following exercise may be more important than the absolute quantity of protein ingested in the post-exercise period. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Adolescence is a period of dynamic behavioural and emotional development that can increase young people's vulnerability to mental health problems. With 70% of mental disorders having their onset during childhood or adolescence, identifying modifiable factors of these disorders among adolescents can help inform future interventions aiming to improve mental health. One of these factors is electronic technology which has become pervasive in our modern society, occupying an important portion of young people's days and changing their lifestyle. This has created serious concerns regarding the impact of heavy recreational screen use on adolescents' health, especially with the vast majority exceeding the sedentary recreational screen time recommendations of 2 hours or less per day. Evidence suggests that screen time can be associated with adolescent mental health problems. However, little is known about how the extent, nature, and types of recreational screen engagement among adolescents are associated with mental health problems as the body of evidence is very mixed, and many questions remain unanswered. Accordingly, the aims of this dissertation were: i) to summarize the evidence regarding correlates of sedentary screen pursuits among youth, ii) to examine how different types of screens, incorporating their newer forms, are associated with adolescents' mental health cross-sectionally and longitudinally, iii) to examine the nature of screen use and its association with suicidal behaviours; and iv) to explore the moderating role of sex, age, and parental support in the association between screen time and different mental health problems. To achieve these objectives, we completed four manuscripts, all prepared for submission to peer-reviewed scientific journals: 1. A narrative review on the psychological correlates of sedentary screen time behaviour among children and adolescents. 2. Heavy social media use and psychological distress among adolescents: the moderating role of sex, age, and parental support. 3. Problematic technology use, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt among adolescents: the moderating role of sex. 4. Longitudinal associations between different types of screen use and depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents. Collectively, our results identified that high levels of sedentary screen behaviour are associated with more severe anxiety, depressive symptoms, and suicidality among adolescents. However, the strength of associations varied between some screen types. Additionally, the findings of this dissertation indicate that a further increase in screen time is associated with increased mental health problems. Lastly, an important role of sex and age in this association was identified. These results can be used to inform future research in this field and guide future interventions designed to manage screen use among adolescents and improve their mental health.