Gender inequality and sex differences in physical fighting, physical activity, and injury among adolescents across 36 countries

Purpose: Sex differences in adolescent health are widely documented, but social explanations for these sex differences are scarce. This study examines whether societal gender inequality (i.e., men’s and women’s unequal share in political participation, decision-making power, economic participation and command over resources) relates to sex differences in adolescent physical fighting, physical activity, and injuries. Methods: National-level data on gender inequality (i.e. the United Nations Development Program’s Gender Inequality Index) were linked to health data from 71,255 15-year olds from 36 countries in the 2009/10 Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Using multilevel logistic regression analyses, we tested the association between gender inequality and sex differences in health while controlling for country wealth (GDP per capita). Results: In all countries, boys reported more physical fighting, physical activity, and injuries than girls, but the magnitude of these sex differences varied greatly between countries. Societal gender inequality positively related to sex differences in all three outcomes. In more gender unequal countries, boys reported higher levels of fighting and physical activity, compared to boys in more gender equal countries. In girls, scores were consistently low for these outcomes, however injury was more common in countries with less gender inequality. Conclusions: Societal gender inequality appears to relate to sex differences in some adolescent health behaviors and may contribute to the establishment of sex differences in morbidity and mortality. To reduce inequalities in the health of future generations, public health policy should target social and cultural factors that shape perceived gender norms in young people

Associations between Ethnic Minority Status and Popularity in Adolescence:The role of Ethnic Classroom Composition and Aggression

Although there are theoretical reasons to expect an association between ethnic minority status and popularity, research on this topic is scarce. Therefore, this association was investigated including the moderating role of the ethnic classroom composition and the mediating role of aggression. Data from the longitudinal Dutch SNARE (Social Network Analysis of Risk behavior in Early adolescence) project were used among first-year students (comparable to 5th grade) (N = 1134, N-classrooms = 51, M = 12.5 years, 137 non-Western ethnic minority students). Popularity and aggression were assessed with peer nominations. Multi-level Structural Equation Models showed that ethnic minority status was indirectly associated with higher popularity, through higher aggression. Moreover, with increasing numbers of ethnic minority students in the classroom, popularity levels of both ethnic majority and ethnic minority students decreased. Only when differences in aggression between ethnic minority and majority students were included in the analyses, while the ethnic classroom composition was not included, lower popularity levels were found for ethnic minority than ethnic majority students. Scientific and practical implications of this study were addressed in the discussion

Особливості планування інвестиційних проектів з відтворення виробничої потужності збиткових вуглевидобувних підприємств

Розкрито особливості планування інвестиційних проектів з відтворення виробничої потужності на збиткових вуглевидобувних підприємствах. Запропоновано алгоритм розрахунку ефективності інвестиційного проекту. Ключові слова: інвестиції, вугільна галузь, шахта, відтворення потужності, проект, очисний вибій, ефективність, собівартість, термін окупності, дисконтування.Раскрыты особенности планирования инвестиционных проектов по воспроизводству производственной мощности на убыточных угледобывающих предприятиях. Предложен алгоритм расчета эффективности инвестиционного проекта. Ключевые слова: инвестиции, угольная отрасль, шахта, воспроизводство мощности, проект, очистной забой, эффективность, себестоимость, срок окупаемости, дисконтирование.The planning of investment projects on reproduction of production capacity of unprofitable coal-mining enterprises is described. The algorithm for calculating the efficiency of the investment project is offered. Its economic efficiency has been proven. Keywords: investments, coal industry, mine, reproduction of capacity, project, stope, efficiency, prime price, period of recoupment, discounting

Финансово-экономические составляющие инвестиционного климата России при привлечении прямых иностранных инвестиций

В статье раскрываются финансово-экономические особенности с выделением реальных как благоприятных, так и неблагоприятных причин и факторов, способствующих развитию инвестиционного климата России при привлечении прямых иностранных инвестиций. Отражены факторы, реально сдерживающие качественное продвижение в российскую экономику иностранных инвестиций. Выделены конкретные правовые нарушения, способствующие сдерживать полноценную внешнеэкономическую деятельность предприятий сырьевой и перерабатывающей сферы. Сделан вывод, в котором выделены конкретные мероприятия, способствующие стабилизации инвестиционного климата в России.У статті розкриваються фінансово-економічні особливості з виділенням реальних як сприятливих, так і несприятливих причин і факторів, що сприяють розвитку інвестиційного клімату Росії при залученні прямих іноземних інвестицій. Відбиті фактори, що реально стримують якісне просування в російську економіку іноземних інвестицій. Виділено конкретні правові порушення, що сприяють стримувати повноцінну зовнішньоекономічну діяльність підприємств сировинної й переробної сфери. Зроблено висновок, у якому виділені конкретні заходи, що сприяють стабілізації інвестиційного клімату в Росії.Financial and economic peculiarities of Russia's investment climate development while attracting foreign direct investments are revealed with the definition of real positive and negative influential reasons and factors. Factors that restrain qualitative promotion of foreign investments into Russian economy are reflected. Specific juridical violations which restrain full-fledged foreign economic activity of companies in raw-material and processing industry are defined. Conclusions where specific actions to support stabilisation of investment climate in Russia are provided

‘There are many ways to make it’: young minority men’s aspirations and navigation of their low-income neighbourhood: a case study in Utrecht, The Netherlands

Young minority men from low-income neighbourhoods are often perceived as a uniform, disaffected group with antipathy towards mainstream education and occupations, while their own experiences are generally overlooked. Through in-depth interviews, we investigated how 14 minority young men (aged 16-23) from low-income neighbourhoods experience and navigate the impact of the neighbourhood social environment on their educational and occupational aspirations. Despite facing several challenges, the men felt that those conditions did not strongly affect their aspirations. Their narratives provided a nuanced picture of how the neighbourhood facilitated connections that influenced their aspirations and how this social environment was navigated by the young men in different and dynamic ways

Family affluence as a protective or risk factor for adolescent drunkenness in different countries and the role drinking motives play

Aims: Previous research has shown mixed results (positive, negative or no effects) regarding socio-economic disparities in adolescent drunkenness. This study investigates whether family affluence is differently associated with frequency of adolescent drunkenness in traditional countries, at a later diffusion of innovation adopter stage according to the Theory of Diffusions of Innovations by Rogers (2003), compared with more progressive countries at a more advanced stage. Furthermore, we investigated as to whether differences in this association can be explained by differences in adolescent drinking motives. Methods: This study used data from the 2009/2010 survey of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, including 25,566 alcohol-using adolescents aged 11–19 years old from 11 European countries. The Global Innovativeness Index was used to classify countries in progressive or more traditional countries. Multi-level regression analyses and structural equation modelling were conducted. Findings: In traditional countries, family affluence showed a positive association with adolescent frequency of drunkenness. A higher endorsement of social (drinking to celebrate an event) and enhancement motives (drinking to increase moods) by adolescents with a higher family affluence mediated this positive association between family affluence and frequency of drunkenness. In progressive countries, family affluence was negatively associated with frequency of drunkenness. In these countries, a higher endorsement of coping drinking motives by adolescents with a lower family affluence mediated this association. Conclusion: A country's diffusion of innovation stage (i.e., traditional vs. progressive) seems to shape the direction of the association between family affluence and adolescent drunkenness including the psychological pathways that explain these socio-economic inequalities. This is most likely due to a quicker and smoother adoption of the new ‘low drunkenness norms’ (‘it is not cool to drink to get drunk’) in progressive countries and among adolescents with a higher family affluence

ADHD Symptoms and Educational Level in Adolescents:The Role of the Family, Teachers, and Peers

Few studies have explored the contribution of family and school factors to the association between ADHD symptoms and lower education. Possibly, having more ADHD symptoms contributes to poorer family functioning and less social support, and consequently a lower educational level (i.e., mediation). Moreover, the negative effects of ADHD symptoms on education may be stronger for adolescents with poorer family functioning or less social support (i.e., interaction). Using data of the Dutch TRAILS Study (N = 2,229), we evaluated associations between ADHD symptoms around age 11 and educational level around age 14, as well as between ADHD symptoms around age 14 and 16 years and subsequent changes in educational level around age 16 and 19, respectively. We assessed the potential mediating role of family functioning, and social support by teachers and classmates, all measured around ages 11, 14, and 16, while additionally evaluating interactions between ADHD symptoms and these hypothesized mediators. ADHD symptoms were associated with poorer family functioning, less social support by teachers and classmates, and lower education throughout adolescence. No conclusive evidence of mediation was found, because unique associations between family functioning and social support by teachers and classmates and education were largely absent. Furthermore, we found no interactions between ADHD symptoms and family functioning and social support by teachers and classmates. Although social support by teachers and classmates and good family functioning may benefit the wellbeing and mental health of adolescents with high levels of ADHD symptoms, they will not necessarily improve their educational attainment.</p

Mild psychotic experiences among ethnic minority and majority adolescents and the role of ethnic density

Despite evidence of the increased risk of psychotic disorders among ethnic minority adults, little is known about the effect of ethnic minority status to mild psychotic experiences among adolescents. This study investigated mild psychotic experiences in ethnic minority and majority adolescents in a Dutch representative general population sample, and tested the ethnic density effect in the classroom.The CAPE was used to assess mild psychotic experiences among Dutch (n = 3,606) and non-Western ethnic minority pupils (n = 769).Ethnic minority adolescents showed higher levels of grandiosity and delusions than their ethnic majority peers, whereas no differences were found for hallucinations, paranormal beliefs and paranoia between both groups of adolescents. The ethnic density effect was partly confirmed for the ethnic majority: a decrease of ethnic majority pupils in class increased their feelings of paranoia.Because only some dimensions of mild psychotic experiences were affected by ethnic minority status or the interaction between ethnic minority status and ethnic class composition, our findings emphasize that mild psychotic experiences are multifactorial in origin, with different underlying processes.</p

The role of social cognitions in the social gradient in adolescent mental health: A longitudinal mediation model

Purpose. The social gradient in adolescent mental health is well established: adolescents’ socioeconomic status (SES) is negatively associated with their mental health. However, de-spite changes in social cognition during adolescence, and theory and evidence that SES, so-cial cognitions, and adolescent mental health are associated, little is known about whether social cognitions mediate this gradient. Methods. This study used three data waves, each six months apart, from a socioeconomi-cally diverse sample of 1,429 adolescents (Mage = 17.9) in the Netherlands. With a longitu-dinal mediation model, we examined whether three social cognitions (self-esteem, sense of control, and optimism) mediated the associations between perceived family wealth and four indicators of adolescent mental health problems (emotional symptoms, conduct prob-lems, hyperactivity, and peer problems). Results. Adolescents with lower perceived family wealth reported more emotional symp-toms and peer problems concurrently and an increase in peer problems six months later. Adolescents with lower perceived family wealth reported a decrease in sense of control six months later, and lower sense of control predicted increases in emotional symptoms and hyperactivity six months later (though not in the multivariate model with all three social cognitions). Perceived family wealth predicted neither later self-esteem nor optimism, though we found concurrent positive associations between perceived family wealth and all three social cognitions, and concurrent negative associations between social cognitions and mental health problems. Conclusion. Our findings indicate that social cognitions may be an overlooked mediator of the social gradient in adolescent mental health. Future research on this social gradient may benefit from incorporating a focus on social cognition

Changes in late adolescents’ trust before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Trust is crucial to the public’s compliance with policies and rules released by governments, particularly in times of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, it remains unclear whether and to what extent late adolescents’ interpersonal and institutional trust fluctuated from the pre-COVID-19 pandemic to the lasting phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study uses three-wave longitudinal data from the Youth Got Talent (YGT) project to address this gap (n = 1,423; 43% boys; Mage= 17.85, SD = 1.95). Latent basis growth curve models showed that interpersonal trust remained relatively stable over time. In contrast, institutional trust temporarily increased from pre-COVID-19 pandemic (Fall 2019) to the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (Spring 2020) and subsequently, decreased during the lasting phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (Fall 2020). These results enhance our understanding of trust among late adolescents and have implications for policies aiming to manage the COVID-19 pandemic