¡Activate Ya! Co-learning about school-based tobacco prevention and physical activity promotion in secondary school students in Uruguay

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-73
Author(s):  
Andrew E. Springer ◽  
Melissa B. Harrell ◽  
Lucía Martínez Gomensoro ◽  
María Traversa Fresco ◽  
Shannon Rogers ◽  
...  

Purpose: ¡Activate Ya! was a group-randomized controlled intervention trial aimed at developing and evaluating the impact of a school-based intervention on preventing cigarette smoking and promoting physical activity (PA) in secondary school students in Uruguay. Secondary aims were to evaluate the program’s impact on students’ smoking- and PA-related psychosocial risk and protective factors. Methods: Sixteen schools and n = 654 students participated in the study. The one-year intervention included a classroom-based curriculum, an afterschool program, activity breaks, and final showcase event. A self-administered questionnaire measured outcomes at three time points. Fixed effects regression models tested for differences in outcomes by study condition. Results: While positive intervention effects were found for selected psychosocial-related smoking outcomes, no impact on past-year smoking or smoking susceptibility was detected. Past 7-day PA, measured by the PAQ-C, was significantly higher among intervention school students overall ( p = .048) and for girls ( p = .03) at posttest, and intervention girls reported significantly higher athletic identity PA competence, friend and teacher PA support at posttest, and PA enjoyment at follow-up ( p < .05). Conclusion: The positive short-term effects of ¡Activate Ya! on PA and related outcomes for girls support the utility of school-based health promotion in Uruguay. Additional research is needed to determine the most effective strategies to prevent tobacco use among students and promote PA among boys in this setting.

Author(s):  
Gillian Williams ◽  
Kathleen E Burns ◽  
Kate Battista ◽  
Margaret de Groh ◽  
Ying Jiang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Intramurals are an important part of the physical activity offerings in secondary schools; however, it is not well understood how co-ed and gender-specific intramural programs impact intramural participation among male and female students. Therefore, the objective of this research was to examine if the number of co-ed, male-only, and female-only intramurals offered at a school was associated with student participation in intramurals. Methods A large sample of Canadian secondary school students (N=60,635) completed the COMPASS survey in 2017-2018. School staff reported the number of co-ed, male-only, and female-only intramurals offered at each school. Students reported whether they participated in school intramurals. Hierarchical models were used to assess associations. Results Intramural participation was marginally higher among male students (36%) than female students (32%; p<.0001). Female students attending schools that offered female-only intramurals were 17% (OR 1.17 [95% CI: 1.05-1.30]) more likely to participate. The number of co-ed and male-only intramurals offered were not significantly associated with student participation. Conclusions We found a positive association between offering female-only intramurals and female intramural participation, highlighting the importance of these programs for female students. Offering female-only intramurals may be a way for schools to improve participation and physical activity levels of female students. More research is needed on the impact of specific sports or activities on male and female student participation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
Elisabetta Lombardi ◽  
Daniela Traficante ◽  
Roberta Bettoni ◽  
Ilaria Offredi ◽  
Mirta Vernice ◽  
...  

Reading and writing skills influence the social status of students, exerting effects not only on learning, but also on wellbeing. This study aimed to assess the impact of diagnosis of specific learning disorder on well-being in secondary-school students, comparing students with a diagnosis of specific learning disorder (SLD-group), students showing learning difficulties without diagnosis (LD-group) and students without learning difficulties (control-group). Students were tested with neuropsychological screening tests in order to identify learning difficulties and were further assessed by means of psychological and school well-being questionnaires. The results show that LD group perceive themselves as having a low sense of mastery and autonomy, less interest and engagement in daily activities and low peer social support than their schoolmates. This result highlights, for the LD group, a low well-being experience, which is not observed in the SLD and control groups. On the contrary, SLD group students do not differ from control group students in any dimensions except for the perceived parents’ support and involvement in school life, in which the SLD group show the highest scores. This work underlines the importance of having a diagnosis as it seems to work as a protective factor for both the psychological and school well-being of the student.


2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 2068-2077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian C. Focht ◽  
Matthew J. Garver ◽  
Steven T. Devor ◽  
Justin Dials ◽  
Alexander R. Lucas ◽  
...  

Objective.To compare the effects of a group-mediated cognitive behavioral exercise intervention (GMCB) with traditional center-based exercise therapy (TRAD) on objectively assessed levels of physical activity (PA) and mobility in sedentary patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).Methods.The Improving Maintenance of Physical Activity in Knee Osteoarthritis Trial-Pilot (IMPACT-P) was a 12-month, 2-arm, single-blind, randomized controlled pilot study designed to compare the effects of GMCB and TRAD on 80 sedentary patients with knee OA with self-reported difficulty in daily activities [mean age 63.5 yrs, 84% women, mean body mass index (BMI) 32.7 kg/m2]. Objective assessments of PA (LIFECORDER Plus Accelerometer) and mobility (400-m walk) were obtained at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months by study personnel blinded to participants’ treatment assignment.Results.Intent to treat 2 (treatment: GMCB and TRAD) × 2 (time: 3 mos and 12 mos) analyses of covariance of controlling for baseline, age, sex, and BMI-adjusted change in the outcomes demonstrated that the GMCB intervention yielded significantly greater increases in PA (p < 0.01) and a nonsignificant yet more favorable improvement in mobility (p = 0.09) relative to TRAD. Partial correlation analyses also revealed that change in PA was significantly correlated with the 400-m walk performance at 3-month (r = −0.51, p < 0.01) and 12-month (r = −0.40, p < 0.01) followup assessments.Conclusion.Findings from the IMPACT-P trial suggest that the GMCB treatment resulted in significantly greater improvement in PA and nonsignificant yet more favorable change in mobility relative to TRAD.


Author(s):  
J. N. Baliya ◽  
Shivani Sharma

The purpose of this research was to study the impact of collaborative learning strategies on social maturity and its various dimensions viz. personal adequacy, interpersonal adequacy, and social adequacy, of secondary school students. The study was quasiexperimental and used matched pairs pre-test post-test research design. A Higher Secondary School in Educational Zone Hiranagar of District Kathua was chosen for the intervention. The study was conducted on sixty-six students of two sections of class 9th. Two sections were randomly assigned to collaborative and traditional learning conditions. Four methods of collaborative learning viz. Think-Pair-Share, Numbered Heads Together, Jigsaw, and Fish-Bowl were used for a period of over five weeks. The results were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and a critical ratio (CR). The results of the study showed that this approach was successful in increasing personal adequacy, interpersonal adequacy, social adequacy and overall social maturity of secondary school students.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Šimůnek ◽  
Jan Dygrýn ◽  
Lukáš Jakubec ◽  
Filip Neuls ◽  
Karel Frömel ◽  
...  

Purpose:Activity trackers are useful tools for physical activity promotion in adolescents, but robust validity evaluations have not been done under free-living conditions. This study evaluated the validity of the Garmin Vívofit 1 (G1) and Garmin Vívofit 3 (G3) in different settings and contexts.Methods:The participants (girls: 52%, age: 15.9 [1.9] y) wore the G1 and G3 on their nondominant wrist and the Yamax pedometer on their right hip for a period of 1 week. Validity was examined in 4 discrete segments (before school, in school, after school, and whole day). The criterion method was the Yamax pedometer.Results:Both the G1 and G3 could be considered equivalent to the Yamax pedometer regarding the before school, in school, and whole day segments. The G1 showed wider limits of agreement than G3.Conclusions:The G1 and G3 trackers exhibited acceptable validity for 3 of the 4 segments (before school, in school, and whole day measurements). The results were less accurate during the after-school segment. The evidence that the validity of the monitors varied depending on the setting and context is an important consideration for research on adolescent activity patterns.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-32
Author(s):  
Afolasade Airat Sulaiman ◽  
Stella Ihuoma Uhuegbu

This study examined the impact of cognitive restructuring and token economy techniques on the reduction of truancy among secondary school students in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study adopted a pre-test, post-test, control group design with a multistage sampling technique as the sampling method. Judgmental sampling technique was used to select two from the six Education Districts in Lagos State, simple random sampling technique was adopted to select six schools; three schools from each of the two Education Districts and 170 truants out of the 216 randomly selected based on the class attendance register completed the study. Truancy Behaviour Questionnaire (TBQ) with a reliability index of .87 was the instrument for the study. Data were analysed and presented with descriptive and ANOVA statistics at .05 level of significance. Findings showed that the two techniques were effective for the reduction of truancy but the token economy technique had a better effect. Sex had no significant effect on the reduction of truancy but females play truants more than males. Based on the findings, the token economy therapy was recommended as an ideal technique for counselling and guiding students against truancy.


Author(s):  
Kizito Ndihokubwayo ◽  
Jean Uwamahoro ◽  
Irénée Ndayambaje

Science education in Rwandan schools still faces a number of challenges including the lack or shortage of equipment available for science experiments. This paper describes research conducted to assess the impact of using improvised versus conventional laboratory equipment in experiments. Eighty-five lower secondary school students were assessed using a semi-experimental post-test design on thermal expansion of bodies. Data analysis using a t-test produced a t-Stat of 2.74 over a t-Critical of 1.98 indicating a statistical significance between the two experimental groups in favour of the group using improvised equipment. As a result, it is recommended that improvised equipment be used in those instances in which there is a lack or shortage of conventional equipment since students’ achievement was similar regardless of the type of equipment used.


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