Screen Time and Developmental Eye Movement Testing in Middle School Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 107-116
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Smart Devices ◽  
Ocular Motility ◽  
School Students ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Current Sample ◽  
Oculomotor Function

Background: Screen time continues to increase among children and youth, yet little is known about its potential effects on oculomotor development and function. The aims of the current study were to (a) compare oculomotor function in children today to those tested before smartphone use and (b) explore correlations between screen time use and oculomotor function among children today. Method: A retrospective comparison was conducted comparing normative data published in the Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) Test manual in 1990, prior to the invention of smart devices, to data collected in 2020. Correlations between screen time and DEM variables were also explored within the current sample. Results: Sixty middle school students reported spending on average 45.5 hours/week on screens with approximately 18.5 hours/week on iPhones, 14.5 hours/week on television and 10.5 hours/week on computers. Surprisingly, DEM performance was not significantly improved in the current sample compared to the historical sample. There were also no significant correlations between any screen time variables and oculomotor metrics within the current sample. Conclusion: Despite the significant increase in screen time usage since 1990, DEM performance was replicable among 6th, 7th, and 8th grader students tested 30 years later. A statistically significant difference was found among 7th graders on DEM Vertical, where the 2020 students performed slower however, this difference may not be clinically significant. Importantly, DEM Ratio, a key variable for identifying ocular motility dysfunction (OMD), was also not significantly different between 1990 and 2020. Moreover, screen time in the current sample did not correlate with any DEM variables. This study provides preliminary evidence indicating that as measured by the DEM Test, increased screen time may not affect ocular motility. Further research is warranted using more finite methods for measuring saccade and smooth pursuit eye movements during the use of screened devices.

Nutrition intake and physical activity in a middle school in New York City

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marisol Gonzalez ◽  
Ronald Feinstein ◽  
Carina Iezzi ◽  
Martin Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Middle School ◽  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
York City ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Great Variability ◽  
School Students ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Purpose: The threat of childhood obesity has never been greater. Behavior changes implemented during childhood and adolescence are believed to be the most successful means of thwarting the progression of this epidemic. The American Academy of Pediatrics has developed a public health campaign that promotes awareness of clinical guidelines for nutrition and physical activity. The campaign is based on a concept developed by the Maine Center for Public Health referred to as “5-2-1-0 Healthy”. The simple clear message of this concept outlines steps families can take to help prevent and treat childhood obesity. The purpose of the present study is to determine the current level of compliance and health education needs of a middle school population related to the “5-2-1-0” concept. Methods: A modified version of the 2010 National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) was distributed to students at a private, nonsectarian, middle school in New York City. The school is located in the borough of Manhattan, but includes youngsters from all five boroughs of the city. The questions were grouped and analyzed according to “5-2-1-0” categories. Surveys were scored, and the association between targeted questionnaire items and demographic variables (i.e., sex and grade) was examined. Results: All 140 students completed the survey, and there was great variability in their responses to both the nutrition and physical activity questions. Of all students, 65% reported eating one cup or more of fruit daily, and 38% reported eating one cup or more of vegetables daily. There was no statistically significant difference reported in consumption of fruits or vegetables by gender or grade. Over 60% of students indicated <2 h of DVD/video or computer/video game time per day, while 10% indicated more than 3 h per day for each. A significant difference existed in the screen time reported between grades (more screen time by the older students) and a statistically significant difference also existed in the amount of physical activity reported by gender and grade (more physical activity by males and younger students). There was no difference in the reported consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by gender or grade. Conclusion: In a cohort of middle school students in New York City, there was great variability in compliance with the principles represented by the “5-2-1-0” concept. Changes in health behaviors were noted as students went from 6th to 7th to 8th grade, with physical activity decreasing and screen time increasing. Consequently, health curriculum topics for middle school students should focus on physical activity and screen time, while continuing to emphasize the need for proper nutrition.

Step count for 7th and 8th grade students in structured and unstructured physical education classes

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-61
Author(s):  
Necip Demirci ◽  
Refika Yilmaz ◽  
Ayda Karaca
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
School Type ◽  
School Students ◽  
Step Counts ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
8Th Grade ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Type Data

The aim of the study was to analyze step counts of middle school students in structured and unstructured physical education classes (PE) according to age, gender, and school type. Data were collected on a sample of 74 students, 40 7th and 34 8th grade students recruited from private and public middle schools. Omron HJ-112 pedometers were used in this study to obtain step counts. There were statistically significant differences between boys and girls in the step counts in both structured and unstructured PE. A significant difference was observed between school types in step counts during structured PE in both genders, while no significant difference was found for unstructured PE. Significant difference was found between step counts of only boys of different grades in unstructured PE. Boys made more steps than girls both in structured and unstructured PE. In structured PE, 7th grade boys reached a higher number of steps than 8th grade boys.

The Effectiveness of Equipment Provisions on Rural Middle School Students’ Physical Activity During Lunch Recess

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-295
Author(s):  
Hyeonho Yu ◽  
Pamela H. Kulinna ◽  
Shannon C. Mulhearn
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Environmental Intervention ◽  
School Students ◽  
Baseline Phase ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Eighth Grade Students

Background: Environmental provisions can boost students’ discretionary participation in physical activity (PA) during lunchtime at school. This study investigated the effectiveness of providing PA equipment as an environmental intervention on middle school students’ PA levels and stakeholders’ perceptions of the effectiveness of equipment provisions during school lunch recess. Methods: A baseline–intervention research design was used in this study with a first baseline phase followed by an intervention phase (ie, equipment provision phase). A total of 514 students at 2 middle schools (school 1 and school 2) in a rural area of the western United States were observed directly using the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth instrument. Interviews were conducted with stakeholders. Paired-sample t tests and visual analysis were conducted to explore differences in PA levels by gender, and common comparison (with trustworthiness measures) was used with the interview data. Results: The overall percentage of moderate to vigorous PA levels was increased in both schools (ranging from 8.0% to 24.0%). In school 2, there was a significant difference in seventh- and eighth-grade students’ moderate to vigorous PA levels from the baseline. Three major themes were identified: (1) unmotivated, (2) unequipped, and (3) unquestionable changes (with students becoming more active). Conclusions: Environmental supports (access, equipment, and supervision) significantly and positively influenced middle school students’ lunchtime PA levels.

Effectiveness of Cyber Bullying Sensitization Program (CBSP) to Reduce Cyber Bullying Behavior Among Middle School Children

2021 ◽  
pp. 504-513
Author(s):  
Surabhi Negi ◽  
Sunita Magre
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Cyber Bullying ◽  
Control Group ◽  
School Students ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Experimental Group

Cyber bullying is the unwise use of technology to harm and humiliate an individual or group over the Internet. The purpose of this article is to test the effectiveness of the cyber bullying sensitisation program (CBSP) to reduce the level of cyber bullying behaviour among middle school students. The sample was restricted to adolescents as they are the ones who are most exposed and vulnerable in the cyber space. A quasi-experimental pre-post design with intervention was adopted for the study. The participants of the study were comprised of 186 middle school students from two private schools in India. The experimental group had 94 participants while control groups had 92 participants. Statistical analysis indicated that there was a significant difference between pre- and post-test scores in the experimental group. No significant difference was found between the experiment and control group before the program, suggesting that the program was effective in helping students in reducing cyber bullying behaviour. The implications for prevention and intervention programs were discussed.

scholarly journals Middle School Students’ Graph Skills and Affective States about Graphs

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 692
Author(s):  
Murat Bursal ◽  
Serap Yetiş
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Eighth Graders ◽  
Efficacy Beliefs ◽  
Affective States ◽  
School Students ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Significant Difference

This survey design study was designed to test whether the graph skills and affective states of middle school students about graphs differ by their gender, grade level, and graph types (line, bar, and pie). The data collection instruments consisted of two scales developed by the authors and a Graph Skills Test, which consisted of graph questions from the previous TIMSS and PISA exams. Based on the findings, while middle school students were found to succeed at reading the data level graph questions, they were found to struggle in questions requiring higher graph skills, such as graph interpretation and graph construction. As for the affective states investigated, participants were found to hold high self-efficacy beliefs and positive attitudes toward graphs. No significant difference among the dependent variables (graph skills, self-efficacy beliefs about graphs, attitudes toward graphs, and graph literacy perceptions) was found by gender; however, grade level and graph type variables were found to impact students’ graph skills, graph attitudes, and personal graph literacy perceptions. Middle school students with less school experience with graphs (seventh graders) were found to hold more positive attitudes toward graphs than the eighth graders. On the contrary, eighth graders were found to perform better at graph questions requiring interpretations of the graph data. Also, participants in all subgroups were found to hold significantly higher personal graph literacy perceptions for the bar graphs, than the line graphs and pie charts. Based on the findings of the study, while middle school students were found to hold positive affective states about graphs, they were found to lack advanced graph skills. In agreement with the previous literature, it is recommended that graph literacy should become a dedicated part of the school curriculum.

scholarly journals Physical Activity and Its Relationship with Life Satisfaction among Middle School Students: A Cross-Culture Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 6932
Author(s):  
Sisi Chen ◽  
Walter King Yan HO ◽  
Md. Dilsad Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Cross Culture ◽  
School Students ◽  
Satisfaction Scale ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Significant Difference

This study examined the association between physical activity (PA) levels and life satisfaction for middle school students from Macau, Taipei, and Qianjiang. A total of 1002 middle school students (grades 7 to 9) were recruited in 2015 from three cities (Macau, N = 322; Taipei, N = 325; and Qianjiang, N = 355). Physical Activity Rank Scale-3 was used to evaluate the frequency, intensity, and duration of the PA. Further, students’ PA behaviors and life satisfaction were assessed using the Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS) devised by Zhang. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, t-test, and one-way ANOVA were conducted to process the data. In both Macau and Taipei, the life satisfaction of adolescents was significantly associated with adolescents’ amount of PA (p < 0.05). A significant relationship was observed between self-satisfaction and PA in students from both Macau and Taipei (p < 0.05). The study results indicate the importance of life experience in PA. The more PA that a student engaged in, the higher the level of life satisfaction they obtained. There was a significant difference in the overall life satisfaction among adolescents in Macau, Taipei, and Qianjiang.

Body Mass Index, Self Weight Perception and the Intention of Changing the Weight in Teens of 11-18 Years

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 1257-1259
Author(s):  
Mihaela Cristina Simbrac ◽  
Salomeia Putnoky ◽  
Corneluta Fira Mladinescu ◽  
Radu Bagiu ◽  
Ioana Tuta Sas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Weight Perception ◽  
School Students ◽  
Normal Value ◽  
Significant Difference

The research intends to investigate the body mass index, the self-weight perception and the intention of changing the weight in teenagers, from Timisoara, Romania. The data sample was made of 243 students of 11-18 years old: 37.9% in middle school and 62.1% in high school; 56.4% girls and 43.6% boys. The manner of work was a cross-sectional study, study case type. The results show that in middle/high school there are: underweight 39.8%/22.9%, normal weight 51.1% and overweight and obese, 9.1%/8.3, with a significant difference between the 2 age groups, the difference being very small. 62.2% of middle school students and 51.7% of the ones in high school appreciate their own weight as having the normal value. 24.4% of the middle school students and 32.4% of high school students consider that that they have a weight over the normal value, and at 15-18 years old, girls perceive weight as being significantly higher than boys. The students want to lose weight, 42.7% of middle school students and 42.8% of high school students. At 11-14 years old, boys want to gain weight more frequently than girls.

scholarly journals Examination of the attitudes of middle school students towards social media

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanser Bulu ◽  
Mustafa Numanoglu ◽  
Hafize Keser
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Education Level ◽  
Demographic Information ◽  
School Students ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Media Services

This study aims to identify middle school students` general attitudes towards social media. Participants of this descriptive study were middle school students from three public schools (n=367) in Ankara. Data was collected using “Demographic Information Form” and “Social Media Attitudes Survey for Students” developed by Ferhat Suleyman Argin in 2013. Data was analyzed using ANOVA, t test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskall Wallis-H test, frequency (f) and percentage (%). In this study, demographic information such as students’ gender, school type, grade level, perceived income levels, mother’s education level, and father’s education level; and social media use information such as membership to social media services, duration of social media use, frequency of social media use, time spent on social media at each use, medium that they use social media, tools to access social media and most used social media were collected. Students’ scores for Social Media Attitudes Survey were compared between groups based on this demographic and social media use variables. There were not a significant difference of Social Media Attitudes scores between the groups based on gender, schools, grade levels, perceived income levels, mother’s education level, father’s education level, membership to social media services, medium that they use social media, and tools to access social media variables. There were a significant difference of Social Media Attitudes scores between the groups based on frequency of social media use, and time spent on social media at each use variables. Since most used social media services variable was not distributed homogeneously, it couldn’t be compared. Based on the students overall Social Media Attitudes scores averages and score distribution and standard deviations it could be claimed that students’ general attitude toward social media was positive and high. Keywords: Type your keywords here, separated by semicolons

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