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

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

The social gradient in adolescent mental health is well established: adolescents' socioeconomic status is negatively associated with their mental health. However, despite changes in social cognition during adolescence, little is known about whether social cognitions mediate this gradient. Therefore, this study tested this proposed mediational path using three data waves, each 6 months apart, from a socioeconomically diverse sample of 1,429 adolescents (M-age = 17.9) in the Netherlands. Longitudinal modeling examined whether three social cognitions (self-esteem, sense of control, and optimism) mediated associations between perceived family wealth and four indicators of adolescent mental health problems (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and peer problems). There was evidence of a social gradient: adolescents with lower perceived family wealth reported more concurrent emotional symptoms and peer problems and an increase in peer problems 6 months later. Results also showed evidence of mediation through social cognitions, specifically sense of control: adolescents with lower perceived family wealth reported a decrease in sense of control (though not self-esteem nor optimism) 6 months later, and lower sense of control predicted increases in emotional symptoms and hyperactivity 6 months later. 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. The findings indicate that social cognitions, especially sense of control, may be an overlooked mediator of the social gradient in adolescent mental health

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

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

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

The course of problematic social media use in young adolescents: A latent class growth analysis

Using four waves of longitudinal data collected in 2015-2019 from 1419 Dutch adolescents (Mage = 12.5, 45.9% female, 21.9% immigrant), this study identified trajectories of problematic social media use (SMU) in parallel with trajectories of SMU frequency. Latent class growth analysis identified two subgroups with relatively high levels of problematic SMU over time: One showed high (24.7%) and one showed average SMU frequency (15.8%). Also, two subgroups with persistently low levels of problematic SMU were identified: One reported low (22.4%) and one reported high SMU frequency (37.1%). Although both subgroups with high levels of problematic SMU reported low subjective well-being, the group with high SMU frequency showed low self-control, whereas the group with average SMU frequency reported poor social competencies

Do country-level environmental factors explain cross-national variation in adolescent physical activity? A multilevel study in 29 European countries

Background:  Worldwide, roughly 80% of adolescents fail to meet World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations regarding physical activity, though there is substantial variation in adolescent physical activity prevalence across countries. This study explored whether country-level environmental differences explained cross-national variation in adolescent moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous-intensity activity (VPA). Method:  Using the data of 138,014 11- to 15-year-olds from 29 European countries in the 2013/2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, multilevel regression models examined the influence of four types of country-level environmental factors (physical, socio-cultural, economic, and political) on self-reported individual-level physical activity (MVPA and VPA). Results:  The environmental variables explained 38% of country-level variance in MVPA and 81% of country-level variance in VPA. Lower annual average national temperature, higher community safety, lower average national household income and a weaker physical education policy were significantly associated with more MVPA. Greater urbanisation, lower annual average national temperature, higher adult physical activity and higher average national household income were significantly associated with more VPA. Conclusions:  The findings showed that national differences in the physical, socio-cultural and economic environment were related to adolescent physical activity. They point to potential avenues for future research looking at interactions between individual and environmental factors.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Disentangling the interplay between genes, cognitive skills, and educational level in adolescent and young adult smoking:The TRAILS study

Recent studies suggest that smoking and lower educational attainment may have genetic influences in common. However, little is known about the mechanisms through which genetics contributes to educational inequalities in adolescent and young adult smoking. Common genetic liabilities may underlie cognitive skills associated with both smoking and education, such as IQ and effortful control, in line with indirect health-related selection explanations. Additionally, by affecting cognitive skills, genes may predict educational trajectories and hereby adolescents' social context, which may be associated with smoking, consistent with social causation explanations. Using data from the Dutch TRAILS Study (N = 1581), we estimated the extent to which polygenic scores (PGSs) for ever smoking regularly (PGS SMOK) and years of education (PGS EDU) predict IQ and effortful control, measured around age 11, and whether these cognitive skills then act as shared predictors of smoking and educational level around age 16, 19, 22, and 26. Second, we assessed if educational level mediated associations between PGSs and smoking. Both PGSs were associated with lower effortful control, and PGS EDU also with lower IQ. Lower IQ and effortful control, in turn, predicted having a lower educational level. However, neither of these cognitive skills were directly associated with smoking behaviour after controlling for covariates and PGSs. This suggests that IQ and effortful control are not shared predictors of smoking and education (i.e., no indirect health-related selection related to cognitive skills). Instead, PGS SMOK and PGS EDU, partly through their associations with lower cognitive skills, predicted selection into a lower educational track, which in turn was associated with more smoking, in line with social causation explanations. Our findings suggest that educational differences in the social context contribute to associations between genetic liabilities and educational inequalities in smoking. </p