Parental influence on urban adolescents' physical activity experience.

As important socializing agents of adolescents, parents may substantially influence adolescents' physical activity but their roles in adolescents' physical activity experience have not been sufficiently studied. Furthermore, there is a dearth of research on potential mechanisms through which parents may promote adolescents' positive physical activity experience. Using a longitudinal sample of 464 urban and primarily Hispanic and African American adolescents, this study examined the impact of parental support on adolescents' physical activity experience. Results of structural equation modeling showed that after controlling for adolescents' gender, body mass index, and perceived overall health, parental support positively affected adolescents' restructuring ability (i.e., ability to construct meaningful and satisfying activities during unpleasant experiences) and intrinsic motivation (i.e., activity participation driven by inherent interest and enjoyment) in physical activity, which in turn positively affected adolescents' physical activity experience. No significant gender differences were found in these relationships. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Associations Between Trait Boredom and Frequency of Cannabis, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use in College Students.

Objective: Boredom is a common emotion associated with substance use in college students - a group already at risk for substance misuse. The purpose of this study is to understand how two types of trait boredom (susceptibility and proneness) in college students are associated with frequency of cannabis, alcohol, and tobacco use. Method: Data were collected from an online survey completed by a sample of undergraduate students (N = 414, Mage = 19.55, 84.5% female; 64.3% White) enrolled at a large public university in the northwest. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between trait boredom and frequency of cannabis, alcohol, and tobacco use after controlling for age, sex, and race. Results: Boredom susceptibility was a significant predictor of annual, monthly, and weekly cannabis and alcohol use, but only annual and monthly tobacco use. Boredom proneness was only a significant predictor for monthly alcohol use. Conclusions: Findings were generally consistent across types of substances and frequency of use for boredom susceptibility, indicating students higher in susceptibility, rather than proneness, are a subgroup to target prevention interventions to alleviate boredom and subsequent maladaptive coping mechanisms.

Guidelines for leadership development of youth with physical disabilities through leisure education: A Delphi study.

Background: Youth with disabilities benefit by developing a skill set to help resolve any issues during their daily activities, including pursuits that lead to productive livelihoods. Acquiring leadership skills through leisure education programmes may be particularly effective for youth with disabilities to gain confidence in their leadership abilities. Objectives: This study aimed to develop and reach a convergence of opinions on the preferred elements of a leisure education programme to promote leadership development among youth with physical disabilities. Method: In this study, a three-round Delphi methodology was used. In the first round, 16 experts participated; in the second round, 14 experts participated; in the third round, nine participated. The first round of the Delphi method consisted of a qualitative questionnaire with open-ended questions, which assisted in developing guideline statements. The results from the first round informed the second and third rounds of the study. The guidelines were reviewed for consensus in subsequent rounds using a Likert scale format. Results: In the final round (third round) of the Delphi method, the expert panel consisting of nine participants agreed that leadership development for youth with physical disabilities could be promoted by leisure, recreation, sports and activities of daily living. Conclusion: These guidelines are essential in building resilience, empowerment and independence and can be seen as a positive contribution to communities with disabilities and young people with and without disabilities. Contribution: These guidelines would build capacity and resilience among youth and equip them with the skills and abilities to initiate leisure programmes.

Adolescent Substance Use Behavior Change Through School Intervention Is Improved by Teacher and School Implementation Support Together, Especially for Girls.

An earlier trial of a school-based, preventative intervention, HealthWise South Africa, demonstrated some efficacy in preventing adolescent drinking and smoking in the Western Cape, South Africa. This was followed by the current implementation trial, which examined how implementation support conditions influenced adolescent drinking and smoking behavior change in the HealthWise intervention. The hybridized implementation-effectiveness trial included 34 schools (n = 2175 students) that provided student data at four waves through Grades 8 to 10. Implementation support conditions included a combination of two components (enhanced school environment and teacher consultation), resulting in four conditions: enhanced school environment, teacher consultation, both components, and standard delivery. Using configural frequency analysis, we examined how drinking and smoking behavior change differed across four configurations of intervention support longitudinally and by gender. For baseline non-smokers, results indicated sustained differences in abstention from smoking and smoking initiation between schools that received both support components and schools in the standard delivery condition. These results were primarily driven by girls. For baseline drinkers and smokers in the both components condition, changes in drinking were delayed until Grade 9 and smoking decayed by Grade 10. Results suggest that providing both school and teacher implementation support synergistically facilitates improved intervention outcomes both immediately following intervention and 2 years later across schools with diverse resource levels. Future iterations of HealthWise, and other interventions, may benefit from a multilevel implementation support strategy to improve student outcomes. More research is needed to understand how to improve HealthWise effectiveness among boys.

Grandparent(s) coresidence and physical activity/screen time among Latino children in the United States.

Introduction: Latino Americans tend to have a familismo cultural value, in which grandparents often live with grandchildren and are involved in grandchildren rearing. The purpose of this study was to examine how grandparent(s) coresidence is associated with Latino American children's physical activity and screen time. Methods: This study used 2009-2010 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) Survey data that consisted of 2,608 Latino students from 5th to 10th grade. Associations between grandparent(s) coresidence and Latino children's physical activity/screen time were examined using logistic regression and generalized ordered logistic regression while controlling for children's sociodemographic variables, health-related variables, and family composition and relationship variables. Results: Grandparent(s) coresidence was associated with higher odds of being physically active for at least 60 min daily in the past 7 days but was not significantly associated with frequency/time of vigorous intensity physical activity. In addition, grandparent(s) coresidence was associated with higher odds of exceeding 2 hr of daily screen time during weekdays and weekend days. Discussion: Interventions aimed at promoting Latino children's physical activity should pay particular attention to use of screen-based media among children living with grandparents. In addition, it may be promising to involve Latino grandparents in promotion of Latino children's physical activity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Leisure Boredom, Timing of Sexual Debut, and Co-Occurring Behaviors among South African Adolescents.

Sex during adolescence is normative; however, there are substantial individual differences in the timing and context of sexual debut. Leisure boredom is an underexplored correlate of sexual behavior that is associated with many adolescent health outcomes. We investigated if and how individual differences in leisure boredom may be associated with timing of sexual debut, and whether individuals engage in safe or risky behaviors at debut. Survival analysis, logistic regression, and Poisson regression were applied to eight-wave longitudinal data obtained from 3,088 South African adolescents (baseline Mage = 13.9 years) to examine associations between leisure boredom and cumulative hazard of sexual debut across adolescence, odds of co-occurring sexual behaviors, and incidence rate of co-occurring sexual risk behaviors at debut. Higher levels of leisure boredom were associated with elevated hazard cumulatively across adolescence. Higher levels of leisure boredom were also associated with lower odds of safe sex and higher odds of substance use during sex and transactional sex at sexual debut, but not casual sex or condom non-use at sexual debut. Although odds of singular risk behaviors were lower for girls than for boys, the association between leisure boredom and the number of risk behaviors at sexual debut was stronger for girls than boys. Higher trait leisure boredom was associated with elevated hazard of sexual debut, greater likelihood that risky behaviors accompanied sexual debut, and greater number of co-occurring risky behaviors at sexual debut. Results support leisure boredom as a potential target for preventing sexual risk behavior among South African adolescents.

Supporting South African High School Teachers' Implementation of a Prevention Program via Abridged Consultation: Outcomes and Moderators.

Research is lacking on consultation support for school-based evidence-based programs (EBP) intended to prevent youths' risky behaviors in schools in low-resourced settings like high schools surrounding Cape Town, South Africa. Thus, this study's objective was to examine implementation outcomes and moderators of an abridged consultation condition for supporting teachers in better implementing HealthWise, an EBP for preventing youth risky sexual and substance use behaviors. Twenty-one schools with 33 teachers receiving abridged consultation (i.e., three consultation meetings, text message reminders, lesson plans, and support kits) were compared to 26 schools with 41 teachers that did not receive any consultation. Teachers with abridged consultation self-reported delivering more HealthWise content. Moderation analyses found teachers with lower educational degrees, who received abridged consultation reported more student interest in HealthWise. When there was higher school-level risk, teachers who received abridged consultation marginally self-reported adapting HealthWise more. Findings suggest consultation support that is abridged or a lower dose than is typical can be feasible in such a low-resourced, overburdened setting while still being associated with EBP coverage, student interest, and adaptation. However, moderation findings suggest contextual factors should be considered to match teachers/schools to the implementation support that best suits them.

Boys Are Victims, Too: The Influence of Perpetrators' Age and Gender in Sexual Coercion Against Boys.

Sexual coercion among adolescent boys in South Africa is an underresearched topic despite the frequency of such events. Although quantitative research has illuminated the prevalence of sexual coercion toward boys, it has provided little understanding of the context of sexual coercion for adolescent boys. Given the often severe consequences of sexual coercion, it is important to further understand these experiences to inform prevention efforts. The current study aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of the context of sexual coercion. Data come from the baseline assessment for a translational research evaluation of a school-based intervention. The current study focuses on a subset of early and middle adolescent boys who reported experiencing sexual coercion (n = 223). Analyses examine boys' reports of their perpetrators' characteristics and details about the sexual coercion encounter. Logistic regression is used to examine how coercion tactics used by the perpetrator differs depending on the perpetrator's age and gender. Eighth-grade boys were most likely to report that their perpetrator was a similar-aged female and that perpetrator's age played a particularly important role in what tactics were used. Adult perpetrators were more likely to use physical force, threaten them, harass them electronically, and drink or use drugs at the time. Results provide important insight into boys' experiences of sexual coercion that have implications for both future research and intervention efforts. Although much research is needed on the topic, intervention programs should recognize that both male and female adolescents can be victim and perpetrator.

Parenting Practice, Leisure Experience, and Substance Use Among South African Adolescents.

There is limited understanding of parents' role in positive youth/adolescent development through leisure in developing countries. Using a sample of 6626 8th grade students in South Africa, this study examined the interrelationships among parenting practice, adolescents' leisure experience, and substance use. Results of structural equation modeling showed that parental leisure involvement was associated with less substance use, while parental leisure over-control was associated with greater substance use. The relationship of parental leisure involvement to substance use was mediated by healthy leisure engagement. The relationship of parental leisure over-control to substance use, on the other hand, was mediated by leisure boredom and healthy leisure engagement. The model path coefficients had little variation between genders and socioeconomic groups except that parental leisure over-control had a stronger positive relationship with leisure boredom for males than females. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

Profiles of Adolescent Leisure Motivation and Substance Use in the HealthWise South Africa Research Trial: A Person-Centered Approach.

Engaging in intrinsically motivated behaviors, both within and outside of the leisure context, is associated with well-being. However, individuals can be driven by multiple types of motivation simultaneously, and the impact of constellations of leisure motivation is relatively unknown. The current study uses South African adolescents in the HealthWise South Africa efficacy trial (N=2,204; M age =14.0) to identify profiles of leisure motivation, examine the association between profiles and substance use, and evaluate the impact of HealthWise on changes in motivation profiles over time. Results indicate three distinct profiles: high consistent motivation, low consistent motivation, and high intrinsic motivation. Members of the high intrinsic profile had the lowest odds of substance use. Profiles were fairly stable across all time points except for females in a high-training intervention school. Results illustrate the importance of identifying and understanding typologies of leisure motivation and health across time, which can be used to promote positive development in adolescents.

More Bored Today Than Yesterday? National Trends in Adolescent Boredom From 2008 to 2017.

PURPOSE: Boredom is an accepted part of adolescence. Developmental and contextual factors are likely to conspire to increase boredom during adolescence, which, in turn, relates to health risk behaviors. However, literature is lacking in the developmental course of boredom across adolescence as well as historical variation in boredom. The present study used multicohort nationally representative samples of U.S. secondary school students to identify historical trends and grade level differences in boredom overall and by sex. METHODS: The present study includes 8th, 10th, and 12th graders from 2008 to 2017 who completed the Monitoring the Future self-report survey (n = 106,784). Joinpoint was used to identify historical trends in boredom and linear regression to identify grade level differences. RESULTS: Boredom increased historically both across and within grades with girls generally demonstrating greater increases than boys. Across grade, boredom appears to peak in 10th grade for boys and decrease across grade for girls. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings indicate boredom has been increasing among adolescents over the past several years, with greater increases among girls. Increases may be concomitant with recent increases in mental health difficulties, suggesting that the overarching psychosocial profile of U.S. adolescents is becoming less optimal. Findings also suggest boredom peaks in 10th grade overall although when analyzing separately by sex, girls' boredom declines from 8th to 12th grade. It is clear that boredom is a worthy target for intervention both in clinical and prevention contexts.

Doing a Leisure Activity because there is Nothing Else to Do: Related Outcomes and Intervention Effects for Adolescents.

This study examined whethera leisure focused intervention, HealthWise, was related to reduced youth polysubstance use and delayed sexual debut via reducing how often youth did leisure activitiesbecause there was nothing else to do. HealthWise was compared to a no-interventioncontrol for 5,610 high school students from 8thto 10thgrade in townships near Cape Town, South Africa. Three specific leisure activities were examined: time spent with friends, playing sports, and going to parks. Among girls, time spent with friends because there was nothing else to do significantly mediated the effect of HealthWise on reducing frequent polysubstance use in the past month. For boys, time spent in parks because there was nothing else to do mediatedthe effect of HealthWise on delayed sexual debut. Results partially supported the HealthWise logic model of impacting risky behaviors via leisure and the value of prevention programs addressing the reasons behind leisure choices.

Impact of a community-based intervention on Latino grandparents' knowledge about and self-efficacy in supporting grandchildren's physical activities.

INTRODUCTION: Latino grandparents are often involved in rearing grandchildren, but their roles in promoting children's physical activity (PA) have been largely overlooked. This study examined the impact of a community-based intervention called Nietos Activos y Saludables (Active and Healthy Grandchildren) on Latino grandparents' knowledge about and self-efficacy in supporting grandchildren's (aged 2-12 years) PA. METHOD: The Spanish language intervention, consisting of 4 weekly sessions, was delivered to 12 Latino grandparents (primarily female, aged > 60 years) in Los Angeles County from October to November 2017. Pre- and posttest surveys and postintervention focus groups assessed the intervention impact. RESULTS: Participants indicated that the intervention provided useful information. After intervention sessions, participants achieved a higher score in test on PA requirements for children. They also reported greater knowledge about children's PA, local resources for children's PA, and modifying children's behavior. Additionally, participants reported greater confidence in motivating children in PA and collaborating with parents in promoting children's PA. Results of focus groups generally confirmed the quantitative findings. DISCUSSION: Nietos Activos y Saludables intervention has the promise to increase Latino grandparents' knowledge about and self-efficacy in supporting grandchildren's PA. Future studies should test the impact of the intervention on grandparents' behavior and grandchildren's health outcomes using a randomized controlled trial. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

With a little help from my friends? A longitudinal look at the role of peers versus friends on adolescent alcohol use.

INTRODUCTION: Alcohol is the most commonly used substance by South African adolescents. Social norms play a key role in alcohol use, although distinctions are not always made between descriptive and injunctive norms and peer proximity. Additionally, little research identifies factors attenuating social norms, peer proximity, and alcohol use, such as one's ability to resist peer influence. METHODS: The current study investigates the relationship between adolescent alcohol use in 9th Grade and descriptive peer and injunctive friend norms in 8th grade, the moderating role of resistance to peer influence, and sex differences. Data were from South African students (N = 3592; Mage = 14) participating in the HealthWise South Africa implementation quality trial. RESULTS: Path model results indicated injunctive friend norms, but not peer norms, influenced alcohol use. Resistance to peer influence did not moderate relationships and group comparisons found no sex differences. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest social proximity shapes influences of alcohol use. Despite a differing cultural context, findings were consistent with those from the United States, indicating social proximity is relevant cross-culturally.

Promoting Afterschool Quality and Positive Youth Development: Cluster Randomized Trial of the Pax Good Behavior Game.

This randomized trial tested a strategy originally developed for school settings, the Pax Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG), in the new context of afterschool programs. We examined this approach in afterschool since 70% of all juvenile crime occurs between the hours of 3-6 pm, making afterschool an important setting for prevention and promotion. Dual-career and working families need monitoring and supervision for their children in quality settings that are safe and appropriately structured. While substantial work has identified important features of afterschool programs, increasing attention is being given to how to foster quality. PAX GBG, with its focus on shared norms, cooperative teams, contingent activity rewards, and liberal praise, could potentially enhance not only appropriate structure and supportive relationships, but also youth self-regulation, co-regulation, and socio-emotional development. This study examined the PAX GBG among 76 afterschool programs, serving 811 youth ages 5-12, who were diverse in race-ethnicity, socio-economic status, and geographic locale. Demographically matched pairs of afterschool programs were randomized to PAX GBG or treatment-as-usual. Independent observers conducted ratings of implementation fidelity and program quality across time; along with surveys of children's problem and prosocial behavior. Interaction effects were found using hierarchical linear models such that experimental programs evidencing higher implementation fidelity demonstrated better program quality than controls, (i.e., less harshness, increased appropriate structure, support, and engagement), as well as reduced child-reported hyperactivity and intent-to-treat effects on prosocial behavior. This study demonstrates that best practices fostered by PAX GBG and implemented with fidelity in afterschool result in higher quality contexts for positive youth development.

A Qualitative Study of Latino Grandparents' Involvement in and Support for Grandchildren's Leisure Time Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: Latino grandparents are often involved in rearing of grandchildren. However, their roles in promoting Latino children's leisure time physical activity (LTPA) have been largely overlooked by researchers. AIM: The purpose of this study is to examine Latino grandparents' involvement in and support for grandchildren's (age 2-12) LTPA as well as issues facing Latino grandparents. METHOD: Participants included 53 Latino grandparents who lived with/cared for or used to live with/care for grandchildren of 2 to 12 years old in three low-income areas of Los Angeles County. Data were collected using 4 semistructured focus groups and 26 semistructured interviews. Transcribed data were systematically and iteratively coded and analyzed. RESULTS: Latino grandparents perceived various benefits of physical activity to their grandchildren's physical and mental health, and supported grandchildren's LTPA directly and indirectly. The direct support included doing physical activity with grandchildren, taking grandchildren to places for physical activities, verbally asking grandchildren to do physical activities, and rewarding grandchildren for doing physical activities. The indirect support was made through providing suggestions to parents. Mothers usually regulated Latino grandparents' involvement in or support for grandchildren's LTPA and tended to promote a maternal lineage. Some Latino grandparents reported barriers to supporting grandchildren's LTPA, including lack of information, access to affordable and safe LTPA facilities/programs, transportation, money, and time. CONCLUSIONS: Latino grandparents are advocates for grandchildren's LTPA and support grandchildren's LTPA directly and indirectly. It may be promising to develop interventions to increase Latino grandparents' competency in supporting grandchildren's LTPA.

Feasibility and adherence paradigm to ecological momentary assessments in urban minority youth.

All adolescents in general, including ethnic and racial minorities, report high levels of cell phone use, making mobile technology a useful tool for assessment and intervention. Known health and education disparities based on minority status motivated us to conduct an in-depth investigation regarding feasibility of and adherence to the ecological momentary assessment (EMA) research protocol, studying daily life of urban minority youth. In addition, this paper presents a methodological approach to conceptualizing and reporting adherence in EMA studies. The sample was comprised of 126 youth (41.3% boys; 40.5% 7th and 59.5% 8th graders; 75.4% African American, and 20.6% Hispanic) who carried a mobile phone for 10 days, including 2 weekends and reported on activities, moods, and attitudes. Mean level of adherence was 81% for momentary and 93.8% for daily assessments; it decreased over time and was higher during the week compared to weekends. Adherence was lower on days when participants reported high levels of negative affect and on days when they were engaged in physical activities. Our findings underscore the importance of differentiating between human and technology-related factors when computing adherence rates and portray adherence as a complex and dynamic construct that can vary across individuals. Specific study recommendations and methodological discussion provide guidelines for designing future studies. (PsycINFO Database Record

Predicting secondary school dropout among South African adolescents: A survival analysis approach.

Education is one of the strongest predictors of health worldwide. In South Africa, school dropout is a crisis where by Grade 12, only 52% of the age appropriate population remain enrolled. Survival analysis was used to identify the risk of dropping out of secondary school for male and female adolescents and examine the influence of substance use and leisure experience predictors while controlling for demographic and known predictors using secondary, longitudinal data. Results indicated being male, not living with one's mother, smoking cigarettes in the past month, and lower levels of leisure-related intrinsic motivation significantly predicted dropout. Results support comprehensive prevention programmes that target risk behaviour and leisure.

Perceived Parental Control, Restructuring Ability, and Leisure Motivation: A Cross-Cultural Comparison.

Leisure is viewed worldwide as an important developmental context for adolescents. As leisure research and programs are shared across nations, it is crucial to examine the cultural equivalence of leisure-related constructs and how they are related. Grounded in self-determination theory, this study explored the influence of perceived parental control and leisure restructuring ability on leisure motivation (amotivation and autonomous motivation) using samples of eighth grade adolescents in the United States and South Africa. Results of multiple-group structural equation modeling showed that the measurement model of the constructs was equivalent across the two samples, but the determinants of leisure motivation differed between the two samples. The findings provide implications for future cross-cultural research in leisure and offer insights on design and adaptation of leisure-based intervention and education programs in different cultural contexts.

Urban Adolescents' Physical Activity Experience, Physical Activity Levels, and Use of Screen-Based Media during Leisure Time: A Structural Model.

There is limited understanding of the relationship between physical activity and use of screen-based media, two important behaviors associated with adolescents' health outcomes. To understand this relationship, researchers may need to consider not only physical activity level but also physical activity experience (i.e., affective experience obtained from doing physical activity). Using a sample predominantly consisting of African and Latino American urban adolescents, this study examined the interrelationships between physical activity experience, physical activity level, and use of screen-based media during leisure time. Data collected using self-report, paper and pencil surveys was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results showed that physical activity experience was positively associated with physical activity level and had a direct negative relationship with use of non-active video games for males and a direct negative relationship with use of computer/Internet for both genders, after controlling for physical activity level. Physical activity level did not have a direct relationship with use of non-active video games or computer/Internet. However, physical activity level had a direct negative association with use of TV/movies. This study suggests that physical activity experience may play an important role in promoting physical activity and thwarting use of screen-based media among adolescents.