Positive Youth Development and Mental Well-Being in Late Adolescence: The Role of Body Appreciation. Findings From a Prospective Study in Norway

Although a vulnerable period, adolescence is a time of great potential for healthy development. Understanding factors that contribute to mental well-being in this period is of great importance to facilitate for healthy development. During the adolescence period the body goes through rapid and considerable changes, and the focus on body appearance and perfection is substantial at societal, media, and peer level. In this study, we investigated the association between dimensions characterizing positive youth development, and mental well-being among Norwegian adolescents 16–17 years 1 year later, and whether this association was mediated by degree of body appreciation. We further tested whether the indirect and direct paths between positive youth development dimensions and mental well-being were moderated by gender. We used data from the first and second follow-up of the control arm of the COMPLETE study, a cluster randomized controlled trial in upper secondary schools in Norway. Findings showed that positive youth development in grade 1, as measured by both a combined global PYD and the dimensions competence, and connection were significantly associated with mental well-being in grade 2 in models adjusted for mental well-being in grade 1, gender and perceived family affluence. Also, body appreciation in grade 1 significantly predicted mental well-being in grade 2 in models including each of global PYD, competence, connection, character, and caring dimensions. Contrary to our hypothesis, no mediating effects of body appreciation were observed, and no moderation of indirect effects by gender were observed.publishedVersio

Preventing Loneliness and Reducing Dropout: Results from the COMPLETE Intervention Study in Upper Secondary Schools in Norway

This study examines the impact of interventions aimed at improving psychosocial health on students’ perception of a caring school climate, their feelings of loneliness, and school completion in Norwegian upper secondary education. Two intervention conditions were tested: a universal single-tier intervention focused on improving the psychosocial school climate: the Dream School Program, and a multi-tier intervention combining the Dream School Program with a targeted measure, the Mental Health Support Team. The direct and indirect effects of these interventions on school completion were analyzed using structural equation models (SEM), with data from 1508 students (mean age at Time 1: 17.02 (SD = 0.92); 60.7% girls; 72.1% Norwegian-born). The results indicated that loneliness levels did not differ significantly between the intervention conditions. However, students in the multi-tier intervention group reported a significantly higher perception of a caring school climate compared to those in the single-tier intervention group. The multi-tier intervention group had a lower rate of school completion compared to the control group and the single-tier intervention group. The SEM analysis revealed that the multi-tier intervention reduced loneliness in the second year of upper secondary school by promoting a caring school climate in the first school year. In contrast, the single-tier intervention was associated with increased loneliness due to a decrease in the perception of a caring school climate. The implications of these findings are discussed.publishedVersio

The effect of teacher, parental, and peer support on later grade point average: The mediating roles of self-beliefs

The present study investigates how perceived support from peers, parents, and teachers influences later academic performance and if academic self-efficacy and entity intelligence beliefs mediate this association in a sample of early secondary school students. Data were collected from 750 Norwegian students in lower secondary school at two-time points (8th and 10th grade). All support variables were positively associated with academic self-efficacy but not entity intelligence beliefs. Academic self-efficacy was positively associated with GPA in 10th grade, while entity intelligence beliefs were negatively associated. The only mediation effect observed was between teacher support and GPA through academic self-efficacy. The study offers knowledge about mechanisms of support and later GPA, emphasizing the vital role of teachers in promoting academic self-efficacy and, in turn, improving academic performance for young adolescents. Entity intelligence beliefs hamper GPA, but more research is needed to ascertain its effect on academic performance.publishedVersio

Arts, Health Promotion, and Social Justice: Synergy in Motion

In this final chapter, drawing from examples presented in the book, we theorize a way of understanding how art may increase synergy in the pursuit of health promotion goals by facilitating deeper engagement with one?s self and with others, as well as by supporting the process of making sense of context. We also argue that art can promote social justice by amplifying voice, leveraging power, and honoring multiple ways of knowing. We conclude by highlighting implications for the field of health promotion and suggest lines of further research to build theory.Instituto de Física de Líquidos y Sistemas Biológico

Exploring the Potential for the Arts to Promote Health and Social Justice

Este capítulo proporciona los antecedentes y la descripción general de este libro Promoción de las artes y la salud: herramientas y puentes para la práctica, la investigación y la transformación social. Exploramos el potencial de incorporar las artes en la búsqueda de las cinco áreas de acción descritas en la Carta de Ottawa para la Promoción de la Salud. También presentamos los 19 capítulos incluidos en el volumen que describen proyectos de promoción de la salud que abarcan Asia, África, América Latina, Australia, Europa y América del Norte, promoviendo la salud de poblaciones diversas, incluidos adultos mayores, jóvenes, profesionales, comunidades enteras, escolares, divorciados, jóvenes transgénero y no binarios, personas desplazadas / migrantes, docentes y pueblos indígenas. También describimos la metáfora de herramientas y puentes que guían este libro,Instituto de Física de Líquidos y Sistemas Biológico

Art and Innovation at International Health Promotion Conferences

Scientific conferences are a constant fixture in most academic and professional fields. While conferences began in the mid-1800s as a platform for the exchange of ideas, in reality, the majority of scientific conferences follow a predictable, didactic format that is aligned with Northern/Western conceptions of learning and knowledge hierarchy. Area ?experts? are provided a platform to share their knowledge, and the audience is thought of as empty vessels receiving deposits of this knowledge. Rarely is this model brought into question. This chapter describes conference sessions organized by the Student and Early Career Network of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education that turned this model upside down and used art as a means to dialogue and exchange with participants on important health promotion topics. In this chapter, we demonstrate how these sessions stimulated engagement and exchange while seeking to honor multiple voices and ways of knowing.Fil: Ayele, Christa. International Union for Health Promotion and Education’s Student and Early Career Network; Estados UnidosFil: Corbin, J. Hope. Western Washington University.; Estados UnidosFil: Alden Hennessy, Emily. University of Connecticut; Estados UnidosFil: Sanmartino, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física de Líquidos y Sistemas Biológicos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física de Líquidos y Sistemas Biológicos; ArgentinaFil: Bjørnøy Urke, Helga. University of Bergen; Norueg

Art and Innovation at International Health Promotion Conferences

Scientific conferences are a constant fixture in most academic and professional fields. While conferences began in the mid-1800s as a platform for the exchange of ideas, in reality, the majority of scientific conferences follow a predictable, didactic format that is aligned with Northern/Western conceptions of learning and knowledge hierarchy. Area ?experts? are provided a platform to share their knowledge, and the audience is thought of as empty vessels receiving deposits of this knowledge. Rarely is this model brought into question. This chapter describes conference sessions organized by the Student and Early Career Network of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education that turned this model upside down and used art as a means to dialogue and exchange with participants on important health promotion topics. In this chapter, we demonstrate how these sessions stimulated engagement and exchange while seeking to honor multiple voices and ways of knowing.Instituto de Física de Líquidos y Sistemas Biológico

Academic Stress, Academic Self-efficacy, and Psychological Distress: A Moderated Mediation of Within-person Effects

Previous research has largely failed to separate the between- and within-person effects in the longitudinal associations between academic stress, academic self-efficacy, and psychological distress (symptoms of anxiety and depression). Filling this research gap, this study investigated if academic self-efficacy mediated the relationship between academic stress and psychological distress at the intraindividual level during 3 years of upper secondary school. Gender moderation was also examined in the hypothesised model. The present sample consisted of 1508 Norwegian adolescents (baseline M age = 16.42; 52.9% high perceived family wealth; 70.6% Norwegian-born). The random intercept cross-lagged panel model results indicated (1) positive and time-invariant direct effects from academic stress to psychological distress, (2) academic self-efficacy partially mediated these effects, and (3) psychological distress impacted later academic stress. Academic stress was more strongly related to academic self-efficacy and psychological distress at the interpersonal level for boys, while the intraindividual impact of academic stress on psychological distress was stronger for girls. The study findings might have implications for school-based implementation strategies and theoretical development.publishedVersio

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend: Moderating a Random Intercept Cross-lagged Panel Model of Loneliness and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

The present study investigated the trait- and state-like associations between loneliness and symptoms of anxiety and depression during three years in middle to late adolescence. The moderating effect of gender and social self-efficacy was examined on the hypothesised model. The sample consisted of 1508 Norwegian upper secondary school students (61% female; mean age at T1 = 16.33; 52.9% high socioeconomic position; 70.6% Norwegian-born). We found 1) strong and positive trait- and state-like associations between loneliness and symptoms of anxiety and depression, 2) that anxiety and depressive symptoms consistently predicted later loneliness but not the other way around, 3) that gender moderated parts of the state-like associations between loneliness and symptoms of anxiety and depression, and 4) that social self-efficacy had no moderating effect on the longitudinal relationship between loneliness and anxiety and depressive symptoms. The present study might inform future research, theory development, and intervention strategies in middle to late adolescent samples.publishedVersio

The positive feedback loop between academic self-efficacy, academic initiative, and grade point average: a parallel process latent growth curve model

This study investigates the associations between students’ developmental changes in academic self-efficacy, academic initiative, and grade point average (GPA) during a three-year upper secondary education. The sample consisted of 1453 students aged 16–19 (60.6% girls; baseline mean age = 17.00, SD = .91; 56.1% high perceived family wealth; and 74.9% Norwegian-born). To explore how changes in academic self-efficacy, academic initiative, and GPA were related, we investigated a theoretical parallel process latent growth curve model. The results implied that, during upper secondary school, academic self-efficacy declined, while academic initiative and GPA remained stable. We found possible ceiling effects within and between several of the study’s constructs. The main finding was support for a positive feedback loop between the developmental trajectories of academic self-efficacy, academic initiative, and GPA. The present study adds new insight that should be taken into consideration when promoting positive educational development during late secondary school.publishedVersio