The Interplay between Education, Skills, and Job Quality

Compared to general education, vocational education and training (VET) has been shown to facilitate young people’s integration into the labour market. At the same time, research suggests that VET falls short in teaching basic skills and, in turn, may lead to less adaptability to labour market changes and long-term disadvantages in individual labour market outcomes. To better understand the relationships between education, skills, and labour market outcomes, we examine to what extent job quality differs between individuals with general education and those with VET with respect to different skill levels. Furthermore, we investigate whether the relationship between type of qualification and job quality differs by skills. We broaden past research by considering four indicators of job quality: earnings, job security, job autonomy, and the match between respondents’ abilities and job demands. Using data from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies for Germany, we demonstrate that individuals with academic education and advanced VET score higher in job quality concerning earnings and job autonomy as compared to individuals with initial VET. Comparing the two higher qualified groups, academic education is more associated with higher earnings than advanced VET, while the level of job autonomy is similar. Regarding the abilities-demands match, both groups score lower than individuals with initial VET. Moreover, higher literacy skills are associated with higher levels of job quality irrespective of the type and level of formal qualification. Finally, we find no empirical evidence that skills compensate for or reinforce disadvantages in job quality derived from professional qualifications

Mental Health and Health-Related Quality of Life in German Adolescents after the Third Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Evaluations after the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany showed an increase in mental health problems and a reduction in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of the study was to assess those aspects after the third wave of COVID-19 in adolescents who decided to receive a vaccination. In students aged 12–17 years recruited from schools in one German region, mental health (by the strengths and difficulties questionnaire, SDQ) and HRQoL (by KIDSCREEN-10) were assessed by both a self- and parental report. Data from 1412 adolescents (mean age 14.3 years, SD = 1.64) and 908 parents were collected. The mean self reported HRQoL was T = 53.7 (SD = 11.2), significantly higher in boys than in girls and higher in younger (12–14 years) than in older (15–17 years) adolescents. In total, 18.7% of adolescents reported clinically relevant psychological symptoms, especially peer problems (23.5%), emotional problems (17.4%), and hyperactivity (17.1%). Comparing the present data to evaluations after the first and second waves of COVID-19, adolescents rated a higher HRQoL and reported less mental health problems after the third wave. After 1.5 years of living with the pandemic, adolescents have adapted to the changes in everyday life. Further, the relaxation of restrictions, better school organization, and the prospect of the vaccination may have increased optimism, wellbeing, and contentment, leading to declining but still alarming rates of psychological symptoms

Effect of vaccinations and school restrictions on the spread of COVID-19 in different age groups in Germany

With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, various non-pharmaceutical interventions were adopted to control virus transmission, including school closures. Subsequently, the introduction of vaccines mitigated not only disease severity but also the spread of SARS-CoV-2. This study leveraged an adapted SIR model and non-linear mixed-effects modeling to quantify the impact of remote learning, school holidays, the emergence of Variants of Concern (VOCs), and the role of vaccinations in controlling SARS-CoV-2 spread across 16 German federal states with an age-stratified approach. Findings highlight a significant inverse correlation (Spearman's ρ = -0.92, p < 0.001) between vaccination rates and peak incidence rates across all age groups. Model-parameter estimation using the observed number of cases stratified by federal state and age allowed to assess the effects of school closure and holidays, considering adjustments for vaccinations and spread of VOCs over time. Here, modeling revealed significant (p < 0.001) differencess in the virus's spread among pre-school children (0e4), children (5e11), adolescents (12e17), adults (18 e59), and the elderly (60þ). The transition to remote learning emerged as a critical measure in significantly reducing infection rates among children and adolescents (p < 0.001), whereas an increased infection risk was noted among the elderly during these periods, suggesting a shift in infection networks due to altered caregiving roles. Conversely, during school holiday periods, infection rates among adolescents mirrored those observed when schools were open. Simulation exercises based on the model pro vided evidence that COVID-19 vaccinations might serve a dual purpose: they protect the vaccinated individuals and contribute to the broader community's safety

Motivations for Adolescent COVID-19 Vaccination: A Comparative Study of Adolescent and Caregiver Perspectives in Germany

Given the crucial role of vaccination in halting the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to understand the factors that motivate adolescents to get vaccinated. We surveyed adolescents and their accompanying guardians scheduled to receive a COVID-19 vaccination (Comirnaty) in an urban region in Germany in mid-2021 regarding their motivation for getting vaccinated and collected data on their sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, vaccination status, and any history of COVID-19 infection in the family. We also queried information strategies related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Motivations for getting vaccinated were similar among adolescents and their parents. The primary reasons for vaccination were protection against SARS-CoV-2-related illness and gaining access to leisure facilities. This was not influenced by gender, health status, migration background, or the presence of chronic or acute diseases. The percentage of parents who had received SARS-CoV-2 immunization and the proportion of parents with a high level of education were higher among study participants than in the general population. Adolescents were especially willing to be vaccinated if they came from a better educational environment and had a high vaccination rate in the family. Emphasizing the importance of vaccination among all segments of the population and removing barriers to vaccines may lead to an ameliorated acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines

Problematic Internet Use among Adolescents 18 Months after the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Studies in recent years and especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic have shown a significant increase in the problematic use of computer games and social media. Adolescents having difficulties in regulating their unpleasant emotions are especially prone to Problematic Internet Use (PIU), which is why emotion dysregulation has been considered a risk factor for PIU. The aim of the present study was to assess problematic internet use (PIU) in adolescents after the third wave (nearly 1.5 years after the onset in Europe) of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the German region of Siegen-Wittgenstein, all students 12 years and older from secondary-level schools, vocational schools and universities were offered a prioritized vaccination in August 2021 with an approved vaccine against COVID-19. In this context, the participants filled out the Short Compulsive Internet Use Scale (SCIUS) and two additional items to capture a possible change in digital media usage time and regulation of negative affect due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A multiple regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of PIU. The original sample consisted of 1477 participants, and after excluding invalid cases the final sample size amounted to 1268 adolescents aged 12–17 (x = 14.37 years, SD = 1.64). The average prevalence of PIU was 43.69%. Gender, age, digital media usage time and the intensity of negative emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic were all found to be significant predictors of PIU: female gender, increasing age, longer digital media usage time and higher intensity of negative emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with higher SCIUS total scores. This study found a very high prevalence of PIU among 12- to 17-year-olds for the period after the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased significantly compared to pre-pandemic prevalence rates. PIU is emerging as a serious problem among young people in the pandemic. Besides gender and age, pandemic-associated time of digital media use and emotion regulation have an impact on PIU, which provides starting points for preventive interventions

Kindliche Verhaltensauffälligkeiten im ersten Lebensjahr und mütterliche Belastung in der Zeit der COVID-19-Pandemie

Theoretischer Hintergrund: Die COVID-19-Pandemie stellte in vielen Bereichen eine Belastung für Familien dar, insbesondere durch die einschneidenden Beschränkungen zu Beginn. Fragestellung: Wie wirkte sich dies auf die Belastung von Müttern mit Kindern im ersten Lebensjahr und auf die kindliche Verhaltensregulation aus? Methode: In einer Online-Befragung schätzten 577 Mütter das Schrei-‍, Schlaf- und Fütter-/Essverhalten ihrer Kinder (M = 7.3; 0 – 12 Mon., SD = 3.25) und ihre eigene Belastung ein, zudem Stresserleben, depressive Symptomatik, Partnerschaftszufriedenheit und Bonding. Ergebnisse: Schlafprobleme traten bei 21.7 %, schwer tröstbares und häufiges Schreien bei 12.3 % und exzessives Schreien bei 1.6 % der Kinder auf. Mindestens jede fünfte Mutter fühlte sich durch Schreien oder Schlafprobleme belastet. Mehr Stress, beeinträchtigtes Bonding und weniger Partnerschaftszufriedenheit erklärten 17 – 21 % der Varianz der mütterlichen Belastung durch Schrei- und Schlafverhalten. In der Zeit der stärksten Beschränkungen zeigte sich signifikant mehr Belastung in der Gruppe von Müttern, die von vermehrtem Schreien und verlängerter Einschlaflatenz berichteten, sowie mit mindestens einem weiteren Kind im Haushalt (MANOVA). Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Pandemiebedingt belastend für Mütter im ersten Jahr scheinen eingeschränkter Zugang zum Versorgungssystem, die Betreuung von mehr als einem Kind sowie das Alter des Kindes zu sein, während eine gute Beziehung zum Kind (Bonding) und/oder zum Partner (Partnerschaftszufriedenheit) abmildernd wirken.Theoretical background: The COVID-19 pandemic placed a burden on families in several respects, particularly because of the severe confinement imposed at its beginning. The confinement in spring 2020 led to social disruption and a reduction of supportive structures. In the first year of an infant’s life, the psychological well-being of a mother–child dyad is particularly susceptible to external stressful changes. Research question: How did the restrictions from the pandemic affect families with children in the first year of the infant’s life, particularly infant regulatory problems and related maternal stress? Methods: In an online survey, N = 577 mothers reported on their infants’ behavior (0 – 12 months of age, M = 7.3 months, SD = 3.3) regarding their crying, sleeping, and feeding/eating behavior as well as the respective distress experienced during the restrictions. Measures of current maternal well-being included overall perceived stress, depressivity, relationship satisfaction, and maternal bonding. Frequency/duration of infantile crying, sleep latency as well as night awakenings and feeding/eating problems were surveyed following clinical criteria (DC: 0 – 5) and percentile scores, respectively. The association of infant behavior and maternal distress was examined using linear regression and MANOVA. Results: Overall, at least one in five mothers felt burdened by her child’s regulatory problems during the time of severe restrictions. More than one in four mothers reported being highly or very highly distressed by her child’s crying. Sleeping problems, such as prolonged sleep latency (> 90th percentile) or several nightly awakenings, were reported for 21.7 % of the children. Difficulty to console and frequent crying were reported for 12.3 % and excessive crying for 1.6 % of the children. Higher levels of stress as well as increased impairment in maternal bonding and less relationship satisfaction explained 17 – 21 % of the variance of maternal distress from crying and sleeping problems. Significantly more distress was evident in the group of mothers who reported increased crying and prolonged latency to fall asleep (> 45 min) and with more than one child in the household during the period of most severe restrictions (MANOVA). A lack of medical, psychotherapeutic, and other means of care was reported by nearly a quarter of the respondents and was the only restriction that was significantly related to the perception of more stressful child behavior. Discussion and conclusion: Pandemic-related stressors for first-year mothers appear to be enhanced by limited access to the care system, caring for more than one child, the increasing age of the child, while a good relationship with the child (bonding) and/or partner (relationship) satisfaction provide buffers

Analyzing Social Contexts

Individual behaviour is always embedded in social contexts such as networks, companies, neighbourhoods. They constitute a central condition to explain individual behaviour. We discuss major problems of context analysis. We first define context to then explore how contexts affect behaviour-the social mechanisms. We specify a multilevel model to demonstrate theoretical problems linking levels and the associated problems of adequate statistical modelling. An example is the explanation of individual behaviour by country level data. We then discuss cross pressures between contexts; here, we show how similar theoretical approaches of Simmel and Lazarsfeld are. Finally, we turn to two other problems of context analyses: non-linear effects and selection bias. We resume our arguments by suggesting a preliminary theory of contexts and strategies for future research

The Individual-Level Determinants of Exiting German Parties

With respect to explaining declining party membership, the question who leaves political parties and why has so far been neglected. This article aims to fill this gap by applying Hirschman's theory of Exit, Voice, and Loyalty to both current and former party members, and at combining it with the resource model of political participation. We find that neither individual resources nor reasons for discontent are sufficient to explain the different reactions to discontent, but that the exit-voice-loyalty model has a certain explanatory power