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Background: The rapid outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has opened up various issues on social media platforms among school students. The dangerous issue is that misinformation, fake news, and rumours spread on social media faster than reliable information, and also faster than the virus itself, damaging the health systems and affecting the mental health of social media users. Objective: The current study aims at determining how social media affects the spread of panic about COVID-19 among primary and secondary school students in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Methods: The data were collected through an online questionnaire. By utilizing convenience sampling, we have reached a total of 1067 school students, aged between 6 and 18 years, from 56 schools located in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Independent Samples T-test, ANOVA, and chi-square tests were used to compare the data. Results: The results showed that social media has a significant impact on spreading panic about COVID-19 among school students, with a potential negative impact on their mental health and psychological well-being. Facebook was the most common social media platform among students (81.8%), where female students had a higher likelihood than male students to use it to get news about COVID-19 (p < 0.001). Health news was the most frequently topic seen, read, or heard (n = 529, 56.2%) during the COVID-19 pandemic, where males were more likely to follow health news than females (p < 0.001). The majority of the students (n = 736, 78.1%) were psychologically affected, whereas those physically affected were the lowest (n = 12, 1.3%). Female students were psychologically affected and experienced greater fear significantly more than male students (p < 0.001). The effect of social media panic depending on a student's age and gender. (p < 0.001). This study showed a significant positive correlation between social media and spreading panic about COVID-19 (R = 0.891). Conclusions: During the closure of schools, students are using social media to continue their learning as well as to know more information about the COVID-19 outbreak. Social media has a main role in rapidly spreading of panic about the COVID-19 pandemic among students in the Gaza Strip.

Background: The virus causing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has reached pandemic proportions. Understanding people’s perceptions of the disease will provide tools to improve strategies to limit its transmission. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) associated with the disease among high school students. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted among secondary level students (grade 8th and 9th) in an urban high-school at Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal to assess KAP using a pre-tested questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Epi Info 7.2.3.1. Results: We collected 101 surveys (response rate 100%). Most of the students were found to be knowledgeable about the timeline of the first outbreak (92.08%), and nearly three-fourths of participants knew about hand-washing for 20 seconds (73.27%). Information about the presence of the disease in Nepal (50.50%), its causative agent (65.53%), and symptoms (57.43%) showed that there is a knowledge gap among participants. Most of the participants were found to have a positive attitude towards the prevention and control of the disease. The majority of the respondents reported using face mask (77.23%) and adopting hand-washing measures (79.21%) as preventive strategies. The majority of the students were highly concerned about the disease. Conclusion: Secondary level students of Chitwan, Nepal were found to have fair knowledge and understanding of the disease, showed a moderately positive attitude towards preventive measures, and reported appropriate preventive practices against the disease. It is recommended that a similar study with a wider population be conducted to assess KAP of Nepalese people towards SARS-CoV-2.

Aims: The goal of this study was to review the content posted in available local Jordanian Facebook groups to explore the perceptions of parents regarding the challenges of distance learning faced by their children during the coronavirus outbreak in Jordan. Method: The Facebook search engine was used to identify local Facebook groups. The search keywords included distance learning, parents, and Jordan. Several faculty professors reviewed the posts and discussion flow on distance learning posted in Facebook groups from March 15th to April 25th 2020. Results: The study identified a total of 248 posts and threads which categorized thematically for further analysis. The selected threads and answers revealed four underlying themes: (1) personal barriers (2) technical barriers (3) logistical barriers and (4) financial barriers. Conclusion: Overall, parents were not limited to their daily routines during the pandemic. They performed the responsibility of helping school in teaching students. Many parents faced many types of barriers in their endeavors to assist their children with distance learning during the pandemic.

Background: The prevalence of primary headaches in the pediatric population is shaped by many factors, of which pubertal status may possibly play a substantial role. Epidemiological studies in the pediatric population in the gulf region remain scarce.Aims and objectives: To examine the impact of puberty on the prevalence of primary headache disorders among female schoolchildren in Kuwait.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study that included Kuwaiti primary and middle schoolgirls in randomly selected schools located in two governorates in Kuwait during the academic year 2018/2019. Prevalence of headache was assessed using the Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation (HARDSHIP) questionnaire for children and adolescents. Female students were asked about their menarchal status and whether they attained menarche before or after experiencing headaches.Results: The questionnaire was completed by 669 girls with a mean age of 11.44 ± 2.14 years. The 1-year prevalence of migraine headache disorder among girls was 23.62%, and the lifetime prevalence of any headache was 84.9%, whereas the 1-year prevalence of primary headache disorders was 47.98%. The mean age of girls with headaches was 11.44 ± 2.14 years. With respect to diagnostic criteria, migraine headache was the most frequently reported (23.62%), followed by tension-type headaches (20.93%), chronic headaches (2.99%), and probable medication-overuse headaches (0.45%). Postpubertal females were at significantly higher risk of having primary headaches compared to their prepubertal counterparts (64.26 vs. 34%; p < 0.0001). All types of primary headaches were more significantly prevalent among postpubertal girls compared to those who are prepubertal.Conclusion: Migraine headache is commonly reported among Kuwaiti schoolgirls. Postpubertal females are at higher risk of developing primary headaches compared to prepubertal females. Pubertal transition and female sex hormones may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of headaches, migraines in particular, and further research is therefore needed to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Background The main purpose of the study was to determine whether lower levels of physical activity were associated with higher plantar pressure generated under each foot. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 641 children aged 6–14 years (agemean ± SD = 9.7 ± 2.4 years; heightmean ± SD = 143.6 ± 15.3 cm, weightmean ± SD = 37.6 ± 13.4 kg; body-mass indexmean ± SD = 17.6 ± 3.2 kg/m2; 44.2% girls). We used EMED –XL pressure platform to measure force time integral, pressure-time integral, contact-time and contact area, peak plantar pressure and mean plantar pressure of the right and the left foot during the gait analysis. The level of physical activity was measured by using The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ–C). The associations were calculated by using generalized estimating equations with linear regression models. Results Lower levels of physical activity were associated with higher force- and pressure-time integrals, longer contact time and higher peak and mean plantar pressures in both feet. Conclusion Our study shows that the level of physical activity is strongly and inversely associated with plantar pressure in a sample of 6–14 year olds.

Abstract Background Beliefs about one’s own abilities and perspective-taking are essential for appropriate behavior in professional and social life, cooperative learning, and situations were conflict is occurring. The social comparison theory and previous research suggested positive relations between school students’ beliefs about one’s own abilities and perspective-taking. The hypotheses were: (1) Beliefs about one’s own abilities and perspective-taking are positively related to each other after the transition to secondary school and (2) will fade thereafter. Methods The hypotheses were tested using data from two national longitudinal studies. In Study 1, analyses were based on a sample consisting of the same N = 4428 students in fifth, seventh, and ninth grades. Beliefs about one’s own abilities and perspective-taking were analyzed by one structural equation model considering relevant covariates, namely gender, school achievement, ethnic background, school type, and socioeconomic status. In Study 2, the sample consisted of N = 2105 students who were assessed at the beginning, during, and at the end of fifth grade. Beliefs about one’s own abilities and perspective-taking were analyzed by the same structural equation model as in Study 1 including the same covariates and additional cognitive abilities. Results: Relations only existed from the first to the second measurement point in both studies. Conclusions A possible explanation for the changed relationship over time is that the students adjusted to their peers, and likely learned to deal with diverse conflicting situations and to differentiate between academic, social or other abilities over the course of the school year. Perspective-taking items measure coordination between oneself and other people in social interactions and conflicting situations. In the future, such relations could be analyzed using domain-specific perspective-taking items.

Background: Hepatitis A outbreaks were reported by the Lamongan District Health Office to the Surabaya Center for Environmental Health and Disease Control Engineering on January 16, 2018, indicated by an increase in hepatitis A cases in of G and S areas, B village. One of initial sufferer was students in High School X.. Purpose: This study aims to identify the epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis A outbreaks that occur in High School X and the risk factors. Methods: The investigation was carried out in an observational manner with a cross sectional approach. Data were collected by structured interviews, hepatitis A antibodies in blood samples assay, environmental observation, and water samples assay. Data were collected with purposive determination of respondents. Results: Hepatitis A outbreaks at High School X in Lamongan District take place from November 2017 to january 2018, with a target group of 33 students. The epidemic cased tends to be extend common source. Risk factors are contact history with patients, eating habits together in same place, mutual exchange and sharing same eating utensils, the lack of hygiene habit (such as washing hands with soap for students and food handlers), lack of hand washing facilities, bad sanitation, bad food hygiene management, and inadequate clean and hygienis water source. Conclusion: The outbreaks of hepatitis A was extended with the most important risk factors, i.e. lack of personal hygiene and sanitation of water sources.

Background and Objective: Social networking sites (SNSs) are online platforms that provide individuals with an opportunity to manage their personal relationship and remain updated with the world. The primary objective of the present research was to find the pattern of school students' SNS usage and its influence on their academic performance. Materials and Methods: The setting was an English medium school situated in the metropolitan city of Siliguri in West Bengal. A pretested and predesigned questionnaire was self-administered anonymously by 388 randomly selected students. The data were analyzed using appropriate statistics. Results: Three hundred thirty-eight (87.1%) students used SNS and spent an increased amount of time on these networks. Addiction was seen in 70.7% and was more common in the age group of 17 years and above. Conclusion: There is a need to educate students about the ways of using SNS and the perils associated with it, to help them understand that though very much in trend, they should be used cautiously.

Background: Children of school age group in developing countries are facing the problem of overweight and obesity because of lifestyle change, playing video games, watching television as well as consuming energy rich diet. Childhood obesity continues as obesity in adulthood. The chance of high blood pressure (BP) in overweight and obese children is more than healthy weight children. Objectives: (i) Effect of body mass index (BMI) on BP. (ii) Association of overweight and obesity with hypertension (HTN). Materials and Methods: This study included 580 students of age group 6–12 years of both boys and girls. All students were from English medium school. Measurement of height and weight was done by standard procedure. BMI was calculated by weight and height. BP measurement was done by auscultatory method. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS 16. Results: Overweight and obesity were more in boys than girls. There was significantly more BP in overweight and obese participants than healthy weight individuals. There was positive correlation between BMI and BP both systolic and diastolic BP. Prevalence of HTN in boys is more than the girls. Odds ratio suggested that overweight and obesity was associated with HTN. Conclusion: This study concludes that overweight and obese school students were prone to develop elevated BP and HTN and hence were prone to cardiovascular risk.

Common definitions of bullying, employed in research and public policy alike, are generally based on adult-imposed categories. To account for students' needs in school, research should aim to include their voices more often. However, a major challenge for educational research in general, and bullying research in particular, is finding methods that enable students to participate in the discussion. The aim of this small, exploratory and in-depth study was to further the understanding of bullying and provide insights by examining students' subjective viewpoints about bullying. Using Q methodology, a total of 29 Swedish 11- and 13-year-olds from one school were given a Q set, comprising 23 items to rank order. Aspects such as the characteristics, modes and types, as well as the context of bullying, were taken into account in the construction of the Q set. Through analysis it was possible to identify two distinct viewpoints, which were then qualitatively interpreted and described. The viewpoints which emerged within this small, exploratory analysis suggested some interesting distinctions and age-related emphases. Specifically, the older students tended to rank items taking place offline as more severe, compared with items describing bullying taking place online. Further, bullying in private settings was perceived as more severe amongst the younger students, while items describing repetitive bullying in public settings appeared to be of greatest importance when defining bullying behaviour amongst the older students. The relational types of bullying were not ranked as highly characteristic for bullying by younger or older students. Further research with larger data sets is necessary to investigate these emerging findings. The study draws attention to the need for adults to maintain a focus on students' behaviours offline, as well as online: in this highly digital age, it is easy for the offline context to be inadvertently overlooked. When it comes to younger students, anti-bullying efforts targeting bullying in private settings and acknowledging potential harm may be more suitable than anti-bullying efforts targeting stigma and shame, which may, in turn, better support the needs of older students. The study also shines a light on the importance of using participatory methodologies that allow students to express their own perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined pictorial and written descriptions of mathematics teaching and learning among a cohort of 120 students (aged 11 to 14 years) in three different lower secondary schools in Ankara, Turkey. A classroom environment with students working in groups or pairs and engaging in open-ended questions or tasks was unavailable. The students viewed teaching of mathematics only as instruction and practicing, and that learning occurs when students sit at desks and passively listen to the teacher who stands in front of the class and explains and demonstrates the subject and/or solves routine questions. Implications for policy makers include the need to determine the contributors to students' current perceptions of mathematics teaching and learning experiences. Building positive perceptions relating to mathematics and mathematics learning experiences in students is a prerequisite to enabling students to develop mathematical proficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Reports from WHO states low back pain and neck pain as top musculoskeletal disorders that has brought enormous global burden among school children. This study aimed to determine and understand prevalence, pattern of musculoskeletal pain and quality of life in population sample under the age of 18 years. Methods: This study was conducted on 500 school students in age group of 10-17 years. Self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms of students and region of body involved were obtained. Common factors which students perceived as responsible for musculoskeletal pain were included as part of the questionnaire along with hours of physical activity at and after school. Most commonly performed recreational activities at home was included to obtain details on sedentary lifestyle behavior of students. Health related Quality of Life (HRQoL) was assessed by 23 item-four multidimensional scale, the Pediatrics Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core scales for students and teens. It included four dimensions-Physical functioning, Emotional functioning, Social functioning and School functioning. Results: Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was found to be 23.4%. Shoulder was commonly involved followed by neck and lower back. 46.2% students felt inappropriate bag weight followed by prolonged sitting to be the common factors for pain. Watching television and playing mobile games as sedentary activities, occupied most of the time after school. Weak associations were observed between gender and presence of symptoms. Analysis of PedsQL showed better quality of life among students in total scores and sub scores. Discussion: Higher prevalence of musculoskeletal pain symptoms observed in school students and adolescents and risk factors analysis, as observed in this study highlights the importance to device appropriate measures to prevent these symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rarely has the self-description questionnaire II (SDQ-II) been used with Arab samples. The Arab culture has unique characteristics that warrant investigating self-concept among individuals who are impacted by the culture. The SDQ-II has eleven factors and each is measured by 8 or 10 items. This study used a short version of the SDQ-II with an Omani sample (n = 700). The Arabic short version has nine factors with 4 items measuring each factor. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed twice: one with nine factors, and another with nine first-order factors and 2 high-order factors. The fit indices for the two models were acceptable and they were not significantly different. All of the items loaded substantially on their respective factors with mean loadings of 0.59. The correlation between the high-order factors was 0.79. All of the bivariate correlations were significant -except for two. The average of the correlations was 0.31 (range from 0.08 to 0.67), thus providing evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. The results indicate that self-concept dimensions can be used separately, and each of the high-order factors can be used as one instrument. The implications are that researchers and counselors can use the short form for research and assessment purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Smoking is the major public health problem in the world. Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death worldwide. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey reported that no difference was observed in cigarette smoking prevalence between boys and girls in 58% of the countries. The main aim of the study is to know and be aware of harmful effects of smoking among high school students. Materials and method: An online survey was conducted with the self structured questionnaire using an online survey platform google forms. The link was shared through social media. A total of 100 responses were received. The results were analyzed by performing the statistical software "SPSS VERSION 20" and the result was represented in the pie chart. Results: The results from the survey were collected and analysed. Around 62% of the respondents are aware of the harmful effects of smoking. Figure 1 showing responses for frequency of chain smokers among the survey population - 8.33% positive responses and 92% negative responses. Conclusion: According to the above survey we conclude that the students know and are aware of harmful effects of smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The study had two aims. The first was to determine the prevalence of various types of gambling behaviour and the severity of gambling among secondary school students in one of the poorest provinces in Poland. The second was to identify correlations between selected socio-demographic variables and the severity of gambling problems. Materials and method. The study was carried out on a group of teenagers from secondary schools in the Lublin Province of eastern Poland. The survey covered 923 respondents aged 17 – 21 (M=18.06; SD=0.367). The study used a list of gambling activities, the South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised Adolescent (SOGS-RA), and a socio-demographic questionnaire. The effects of independent variables on the severity of gambling behaviour were evaluated using the Mann–Whitney U test (for binary variables, such as gender or age group) and Kruskal–Wallis one-way ANOVA for ternary variables (e.g., place of residence, type of school). Results and Conclusions. The findings show that in the studied population 7.2% were pathological gamblers and 41.8% had not gambled during the 12 months prior to the study. These findings are consistent with the literature. There seems to be a clear trend in which pathological gambling is found most frequently among technical secondary school students, and least frequently among those from secondary schools of general education. In addition, persons who had lived (until the age of 10) in rural areas scored the lowest in SOGS-RA, while those from cities below 50,000 residents, scored the highest. In families with a gambling member, pathological gambling was found 1.7 times more frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people often are asked what they want to be when they grow up. How do their aspirations change as students move through childhood and adolescence? To investigate the formation of career aspirations, we analysed 6308 questionnaires from 4213 students aged 8 to 18 years arranged in an accelerated longitudinal design. Using a person-centred analytic approach, a latent class mixture model identified four discrete change trajectories in the prestige levels of career aspirations over ten schooling years. In line with Gottfredson's (J Counsel Psychol 28(6):545–579, 1981) theory, significant factors included student gender, education aspirations, prior achievement, knowledge of educational pathways to occupations, and the sex composition of occupations. High aspiring students with low education aspirations and poor achievement had more volatile trajectories than other students, regardless of socioeconomic status. The results demonstrate complexity in the formation of aspirations and challenge conventional notions about the 'types' of students who have 'high' and 'low' aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to construct a tool to measure academic engagement among school students and to test the tool's usability. An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted in this tool construction. The processes include - conceptualization and generation of items with five-point responses, relevant judgement of these items, item validity and identification of factor hierarchical structure, determining psychometric properties of tool. The study was done based on 401 adolescent school students of Tripura state of India, selected through purposive sampling technique and statistical analyses was done using IBM SPSS 22.The S-CVI results show .87 ( S-CVI/average) which indicates high content validity of overall academic engagement scale. EFA on this scale reveals a) initiation, b) Maintaining attention, c)using engagement strategy d) exploration e) Outcome Analysis f)Persistence g) Disengagement Strategy making h) valence in academic process as 8 components among 49 items. Two second order components 'Perceived valence of academic process' and 'execution' were extracted from these eight factors. Satisfactory Internal consistency of 8 principal components using Cronbach Alpha (.632 -.768) were found. The tool is effective in assessing the academic engagement of adolescent school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of myopia has increased rapidly worldwide over the past few decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and associated risk factors for myopia in elementary and junior high school students in Chia-Yi, Taiwan.Methods: We included 5417 students in total from Grade 1-6 (n = 4763) and Grade 7-9 (n = 654) from Chia Yi County in this population-based study. The students underwent noncycloplegic autorefractometry and an interview with a structured questionnaire.Results: For this study population, the prevalence of myopia and high myopia was 42.0 and 2.0%, respectively, revealing a statistically significant increase with increasing age (p < 0.05). Junior high school students (aged 13-15) showed a greater prevalence of myopia than elementary school students (aged 7-12) (55.8% vs. 40.1%, respectively, p < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that associated factors of myopia were body height (odds ratio [OR]: 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.06), body mass index (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96-1.00), and ocular alignment (horizontal heterophoria vs. orthophoria, OR: 2.37, 95% CI: 2.08-2.70; tropia vs. orthophoria, OR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.50-2.52) for elementary school students, whereas in junior high school students, they included body height (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.04) and ocular alignment (heterophoria vs. orthophoria, OR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.56-3.10).Conclusions: This study provided epidemiological data on myopia in rural school students in Chia-Yi, Taiwan, and demonstrated the association between heterophoria and myopia. Correction of refractive errors in the students remained a challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of primary headaches in the pediatric population is shaped by many factors, of which pubertal status may possibly play a substantial role. Epidemiological studies in the pediatric population in the gulf region remain scarce. Aims and objectives: To examine the impact of puberty on the prevalence of primary headache disorders among female schoolchildren in Kuwait. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study that included Kuwaiti primary and middle schoolgirls in randomly selected schools located in two governorates in Kuwait during the academic year 2018/2019. Prevalence of headache was assessed using the Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation (HARDSHIP) questionnaire for children and adolescents. Female students were asked about their menarchal status and whether they attained menarche before or after experiencing headaches. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 669 girls with a mean age of 11.44 ± 2.14 years. The 1-year prevalence of migraine headache disorder among girls was 23.62%, and the lifetime prevalence of any headache was 84.9%, whereas the 1-year prevalence of primary headache disorders was 47.98%. The mean age of girls with headaches was 11.44 ± 2.14 years. With respect to diagnostic criteria, migraine headache was the most frequently reported (23.62%), followed by tension-type headaches (20.93%), chronic headaches (2.99%), and probable medication-overuse headaches (0.45%). Postpubertal females were at significantly higher risk of having primary headaches compared to their prepubertal counterparts (64.26 vs. 34%; p < 0.0001). All types of primary headaches were more significantly prevalent among postpubertal girls compared to those who are prepubertal. Conclusion: Migraine headache is commonly reported among Kuwaiti schoolgirls. Postpubertal females are at higher risk of developing primary headaches compared to prepubertal females. Pubertal transition and female sex hormones may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of headaches, migraines in particular, and further research is therefore needed to investigate the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This study aims to analyse the role of media in creating awareness on child sexual abuse and Good Touch Bad Touch among children. The research also aims to study the students' awareness level of Child Sexual Abuse which includes the Good Touch Bad Touch. Method. The survey research method was used to collect data, through a well-structured questionnaire from 100 respondents of a school from a city of Punjab, constituting 20 respondents from each class, selected through convenient sampling. Result. The findings reveal that the media failed to create awareness on child sexual abuse among children. 90% of the respondents were not aware of any child sexual abuse or child helpline number. Conclusion. Even though, some initiatives were taken by various media tools to raise the child safety issue in the society, but those are not enough. There is a need to develop and run more specific programs regularly to raise awareness throughout society on child sexual abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of energy drinks (EDs) consumption and its relationship with sociodemographic characteristics, eating habits, sleep duration, physical activity, and screen time among school students. A cross-sectional study was carried out with a total of 1611 students aged 10 to 18 years from the United Arab Emirates. ED consumption among school students was 27%, with less than half consumed at least one can of EDs 1 to 3 days per week. ED consumers were less likely to meet recommended sleep duration (37% vs 62%, P <.001), more likely to consume high energy-dense fast foods (33% vs 20%, P <.001), and more likely to spend more than 6 hours in front of a screen (40.5% vs 32.3%, P <.001). Students aged 14 to 18 years were twice as likely to consume EDs as students aged 10 to 13 years (P <.001). Overall, the use of EDs was associated with male sex, older age, not meeting sleep recommendations, high energy-dense fast food consumption, and spending a longer time in front of a screen. Educational intervention programs about ED consumption and healthy lifestyle habits are highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of IUG Journal of Educational & Psychological Studies is the property of Islamic University of Gaza and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The biosecurity system is extremely important to New Zealand because the economy is based largely on exporting products derived from primary industry practices. Recent developments in trade practices such as online trade have put the biosecurity system in New Zealand under further strain. In light of this, engaging young people to support biosecurity initiatives is crucial. A qualitative approach using the interpretive mode of inquiry was used to investigate the message young people got out of biosecurity educational material in the public. One hundred and seventy-one young people completed a questionnaire that consisted of Likert-scale type questions and open-ended questions that focused on getting young people's understanding of biosecurity related educational material. The findings show that young people emotionally connected with the biosecurity educational material, but were unable to get the biosecurity message. Building prior knowledge about biosecurity through teaching and learning is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Espacios is the property of Talleres de Impresos Oma and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Just World Hypothesis states that people need to believe in a just world in which they get what they deserve and deserve what they get. This study examines the longitudinal associations between personal belief in a just world (BJW), the belief that events in one's own life are just and teacher justice in different status groups. It is posited that the more individuals believe in a personal just world, the more they feel they are treated justly by others, and this should be particularly true for students with a low‐status background. Longitudinal questionnaire data were obtained from students with German and Turkish/Muslim backgrounds over a period of 3–4 months. The pattern of results revealed that personal BJW was important for the Turkish/Muslim students in evaluating teachers as more just over a given period of time, but not for the German students. That is, the buffering effect of personal BJW was crucial for the disadvantaged students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational psychologists, nowadays, are more concerned about the students who are motivated in learning and interested in achieving their academic goals. Academic motivation and achievement are considered as primary indicators of students' learning process and outcomes. This study aimed to know the relationship between the most important familial factors (e.g., parental education, parental occupation, family type, monthly household income, sibling's achievement) with students' academic motivation and achievement. One hundred and eighty high school students, age ranging from 13 to 16 years (M = 14.20, SD =.960), at eighth through tenth grade, were selected from six high schools through purposive sampling method, from Chittagong, Bangladesh. A Bangla version of 'Academic Motivation Questionnaire' (Fatematuzzohra et al., 2010), originally developed by Vallerand et al. (Can J Behav Sci 21(3):323–349, 1989. 10.1037/h0079855), was used to pursue the study. The result showed that all of the familial factors except the family type had significant effects on both students' academic motivation and achievement scores. A significant positive correlation was found between students' academic achievement and academic motivation scores (r =.339, p <.01). All of the familial factors were significant in explaining students' academic achievement as well as their academic motivation. These factors combinedly explained 57.5% of the variance in students' academic achievement (R2 =.575, F(13, 166) = 17.281, p <.01) and explained 30.5% of the variance in students' academic motivation (R2 =.305, F(13, 166) = 5.614, p <.01). Implications for understanding the relationship between familial factors and academic motivation and achievement are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Al-Frahids Arts is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Engaging school students in wildlife research through citizen science projects can be a win–win for scientists and educators. Not only does it provide a way for scientists to gather new data, but it can also contribute to science education and help younger generations become more environmentally aware. However, wildlife research can be challenging in the best of circumstances, and there are few guidelines available to help scientists create successful citizen science projects for school students. This paper explores the opportunities and challenges faced when developing school‐based citizen science projects in wildlife research by synthesising two sources of information. First, we conducted a small, school‐based citizen science project that investigated the effects of supplementary feeding on urban birds as a case study. Second, we reviewed the literature to develop a database of school‐based citizen science projects that address questions in wildlife ecology and conservation. Based on these activities, we present five lessons for scientists considering a school‐based citizen science project. Overall, we found that school‐based citizen science projects must be carefully designed to ensure reliable data are collected, students remain engaged, and the project is achievable under the logistical constraints presented by conducting wildlife research in a school environment. Ultimately, we conclude that school‐based citizen science projects can be a powerful way of collecting wildlife data while also contributing to the education and development of environmentally aware students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The main purpose of the study was to determine whether lower levels of physical activity were associated with higher plantar pressure generated under each foot. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 641 children aged 6-14 years (agemean … SD = 9.7 … 2.4 years; heightmean … SD = 143.6 … 15.3 cm, weightmean … SD D 37.6 … 13.4 kg; body-mass indexmean … SD D 17.6 … 3.2 kg/m2; 44.2% girls). We used EMED -XL pressure platform to measure force time integral, pressure-time integral, contact-time and contact area, peak plantar pressure and mean plantar pressure of the right and the left foot during the gait analysis. The level of physical activity was measured by using The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). The associations were calculated by using generalized estimating equations with linear regression models. Results. Lower levels of physical activity were associated with higher force- and pressure-time integrals, longer contact time and higher peak and mean plantar pressures in both feet. Conclusion. Our study shows that the level of physical activity is strongly and inversely associated with plantar pressure in a sample of 6-14 year olds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sound understanding of determinants of travel mode choice is an efficient way to design proactive transportation policy and urban planning to encourage non-motorized mode trips in the metropolitan area. The thrust of this study is to develop and apply travel mode choice models for basic education school students in Metro Manila. The study used two different discrete choice models, i.e., multinomial logit (MNL) and multinomial probit (MNP), by taking account of socioeconomic characteristics and urban form attributes. The Person product-moment correlation coefficient function was applied to control co-linearity among explanatory variables. The correlation coefficients implied that household income, travel distance from home to school, and the presence of commuters were the potential factors for the development of travel mode choice models. The findings highlighted that school students with high income and the presence of commuters are most likely to travel by private mode. Respondents located close to schools have the highest likelihood to travel by non-motorized mode. Also, the MNL-based travel mode choice model was applied to simulate the percentage changes of the travel mode choice in response to changes in household income and travel distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study examines the psychometric characteristics of a translated version of the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI - II) among Malaysian school students. Methods: The sample consisted of 257 boys and 302 girls. This study employed WINSTEPS 3.74 to provide statistics and other information from Rasch Model analysis, namely, the fit statistics, dimensionality analysis, rating scale analysis, reliability and separation indices, differential item functioning analysis, and distribution of items difficulty and students' ability. Results: Rating scale analysis showed that category 2 and category 3 of the ratings were not different. Meanwhile, Item 19 did not fit the model's expectations; and thus, it was omitted from further analyses. The scale demonstrated a high person reliability and a high person separation index. There were no items demonstrating gender DIF. The school students endorsed feeling guilty as the least severe symptom of depression, while committing suicide as the most serious symptom. Conclusion: In general, the BDI-II demonstrated acceptable properties in measuring depression symptoms among school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims at investigating the effect of gender on the reading habits, reading preferences and attitudes towards reading among the school students. Survey research with a well-structured questionnaire was employed by the researchers. Five matriculation schools of Madurai City, Tamil Nadu State, India are the unit of study. The secondary and higher secondary students form the sample of the study. Out of 250 questionnaires distributed, 200 duly filled questionnaires were received back. The study reveals that : More boys than girls prefer non-fiction, prefer science fiction, crime and fantasy stories, prefer biographies and autobiographies and essays, spend 1-2 hours per week on reading, prefer Tamil language materials to read, read to pass time and get a job, prefer lips reading, decide to read a book based on table of contents, depend on school library, prefer to read in the early morning, spend 5-10 minutes to read newspaper every day, read GK magazines, visit the library daily, visit the library to borrow books and read newspapers, prefer to visit the library during lunch breaks and read e-magazines. More girls than boys prefer horror stories, motivational books, spend 3-4 hours per week on reading, read to improve knowledge and relax, decide to read a book based on authors, depend on own collection, prefer to read before bed hours, read comics, visit the library once in a week, visit the library to read books, prefer to visit the library during library hours and read e-newspapers. Both boys and girls prefer both fiction and non-fiction, prefer to read English language materials, prefer silent reading, prefer to read at home, prefer Tamil newspapers, prefer to read newspapers in the morning, look for local news and entertainment news in the newspaper, prefer Dinamalar newspaper, prefer Tamil magazines, read subject magazines, prefer to use laptops and desktops, spend less than one hour, read e-books, use search engines to access required e-materials, e-read for time pass, prefer PDF files. Thus, there are instances where gender influences and there are few instances where gender does not influence the reading habits and preferences of the school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India generates about 60 million tonnes of garbage every day, of this around 45 to 50 million tonnes is left untreated. Wastes are thrown on the streets. Open defecation is still a problem in rural India. All these actions cause health hazards among population. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding Swachh Bharat among 8th to 10th standard students. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out in seven government high schools in the field practice area of a medical college in Mangalore. A total of 441 government high school students from 8th to 10th standard were included in the study. Collection of data was done by interview method using pretested semi structured questionnaire. Results: Total of 441 students were included in the study. 55.32% were boys and 44.68% were girls. According to scoring done for students, 84.35% had good knowledge, 95.23% had good attitude but only 50.34% had good practice about environmental cleanliness and personal hygiene. Conclusion: To improve the good practice various health educations and practical demonstrations about the cleanliness and benefits of practicing them can be conducted as school-based initiatives to create awareness among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This qualitative research discloses students' subjective lived experiences in Lithuanian music school; thus, creating assumptions for implementing meaningful learning in children's education. Music schools which dominate other non-formal education are not exempted because students' lived experiences show that learning is given meaning there even before the commencement of formal learning. When formal learning starts, the perception of meaningfulness of learning begins to change. The results demonstrate that usually opposite experiences of those things which are expected are gained after students start learning, and that continuous communication between students and teachers in music schools is an antidote against meaningless teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prevention of myopia has become a public health priority in China. This study is to investigate the prevalence of myopia and vision impairment, and their associated factors in school students in eastern China.Method: In this cross-sectional school-based study of 4801 students from 16 schools ranging from kindergarten to high school, students underwent refraction using non-cycloplegic autorefractor and visual acuity testing using logMAR chart with tumbling E. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent (SPHE) ≤ - 0.5 diopter (D) and uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) 20/25 or worse. High myopia was defined as SPHE ≤ - 6.0 D and UCVA 20/25 or worse. Vision impairment was defined as UCVA 20/40 or worse. Logistic regression models were used to determine factors associated with myopia and vision impairment.Results: Among 4801 children (55% male) with mean age (standard deviation) 12.3 (3.8) years, 3030 (63.1, 95% CI: 61.7-64.5%) had myopia, 452 (9.4, 95% CI: 8.6-10.3%) had high myopia, and 2644 (55.1, 95% CI, 53.7-56.5%) had vision impairment. The prevalence rate of myopia increased with grade in a non-linear manner, 12% in kindergarten, 32% in grade 2, 69% in grade 5, and approximately 90% by grade 10 or above. The prevalence rate of high myopia was relatively low in grade 4 or below (< 1.5%), 4-7% in grade 5 to 7, 13-15% in grade 8-9, and > 20% in grade 10 to 12. The prevalence rate of vision impairment was 4% in kindergarten, 37% in elementary school, 77% in middle school and 87% in high school students. Higher grade (p < 0.0001), female (p < 0.0001) and higher school workload (p = 0.007) were independently associated with higher prevalence rates of myopia and vision impairment, while higher grade (p < 0.0001) and higher school workload (p < 0.0001) were independently associated with higher prevalence of high myopia.Conclusion: Prevalence of myopia and vision impairment was high among Chinese school students and increased with grade in a non-linear manner, reaching alarming high in high school students accompanied by high prevalence of high myopia. Increasing study burden on school students at younger age plays an important role on the higher prevalence rate of myopia and vision impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathology of the digestive organs and the cardiovascular system in children takes one of the leading places among somatic diseases inUkrainein recent years. A special importance of these lesions development belongs to microcirculation disorders. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the state of nail bed capillaries microcirculation in schoolchildren with chronic gastroduodenitis combined with arterial hypertension. Materials and Methods. 80 school-age children residents of Chernivtsi and Chernivtsi region were observed. Among them were 40 children with various forms of chronic gastroduodenitis, who made up the main group, and 40 clinically healthy children (control group). Blood pressure measurement was provided with automatic and mechanical tonometers three times at 3 minutes intervals between each measurement. All children were examined by biomicroscopy of nail bed capillaries. Quantitative and qualitative indicators were evaluated: perivascular changes, vascular changes (in venules, arterioles and capillaries), intravascular changes (venules, arterioles and capillaries). Results and Discussion. In the 10 children from the main group concomitant hypertension was found. The level of the average systolic blood pressure among them amounted to 143.3 ± 2.72 mm Hg, and the average diastolic blood pressure was 94.0 ± 1.88 mm Hg. In children with chronic gastroduodenitis and hypertension significantly more frequently identified symptoms of microcirculation disorders: changes in the shape and the diameter of capillaries, local spasm, increased tortuosity, slowing blood flow and the presence of "sludged blood" phenomenon in the microvessels. Conclusions. The above-mentioned changes in children of the main group could be attributed to the result of autonomic dysregulation, which in turn is accompanied by violation of hemodynamics at all levels, including at the capillary.

A number of studies have emphasized the importance of the educational potential of cities and revealed that home district characteristics influence children’s educational identity and access to educational resources. However, little attention is paid to the conditions and limits of children’s access to the city environment as well as the geographies of their outdoor activities, i. e. how far from home they travel when hanging out, how this distance can change as a child grows up, how often children attend specific places, and how the geographies of their mobility depend on their personal characteristics. A survey of Moscow school students of grades 5–10 is used to explore the basic characteristics of children’s independent mobility, including their everyday mobility, i. e. frequented places and the distance to them. It is shown that children normally travel within a radius of 1 km from home; the central part of the city and the neighboring districts are visited less often than places within the home district. A comparison of everyday mobility of high- and low-performing students has proved that the proportion of children whose most frequented place is centers for after-school education is higher among high- erformers. Yet, no correlation was found between the size of the “habitat” and academic performance. Moreover, places for leisure, including leisure education, of families have been described based on a survey of over 700 mothers of school students. Families with high levels of cultural capital and ood financial standing have demonstrated greater diversity of shared leisure activities and comprise a higher proportion of those attending family courses, public lectures, or other urban events. Such families exploit the educational leisure opportunities provided by the city more actively than others.

Abstract Background Alcohol consumption by young people (particularly early initiation) is a predictor for poorer health in later life. In addition, evidence now clearly shows a causal link between alcohol and cancer. This study investigated prevalence, predictors of alcohol consumption among adolescents including perceptions of the link between alcohol and cancer, and the role of parents and peers. Methods A sample of Australian school students aged 12–17 years participated in a survey (n = 2885). Logistic regression analysis was undertaken to determine predictors. Results Alcohol use increased with age and by 16, most had tried alcohol with 33.1% of students aged 12–17 reporting that they drank at least occasionally (95% CI = 31.0–35.2). Awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer was low (28.5%). Smoking status and friends’ approval were predictive of drinking, whereas parental disapproval was protective. Those aged 14–17 who did not think the link between alcohol and cancer was important were more likely to drink, as were those living in areas of least disadvantage. The only factors that predicted recent drinking were smoking and the perception that alcohol was easy to purchase. Conclusions An education campaign highlighting the link between alcohol and cancer may have positive flow-on effects for young people, and schools should incorporate this messaging into any alcohol education programs. Consideration should be given to factors that serve to regulate under-aged accessibility of alcohol.

Thematic justification is determined by searching for ways to optimize the level of human physical activity. Studying the level of physical activity of residents of neighboring countries of Ukraine and Poland, which have differences in systems of education, culture, socio–economic structure, will assist in searching for ways to optimize the level of physical activity of the population of both countries. Special focus of the study will be on the problem of studying physical activity of children and youth, the proper level of which is a guarantee of nation’s health. Research objective is to establish the current state and characteristics of physical activity of 13–15–year–old children living in Poland and Ukraine. Research results. The article provides a comparative analysis of the results of a survey of Polish and Ukrainian 13–15–year–old school students. A comparative analysis of indicators of physical activity of 13–15–year–old children living in Poland and Ukraine was also conducted. It has been established that children of both countries equally prefer sedentary activities in their spare time. Ukrainian school students give a higher evaluation to physical education classes and their own level of physical aptitude. At the same time, there is a tendency among Ukrainian school students towards the decrease of the level of physical activity from 13 to 15 years of age if compared to Polish school students. Conclusions: obtained pedometer indicators are below normal, which is indicative of a sedentary lifestyle of students of this age group (Ukrainian students – 7,9 thousand steps per day, Polish students – 9,7 thousand steps per day). Polish students have a tendency towards increasing the volume of physical activity (13 years old – 8,8 thousand steps per day, 15 years old – 11 thousand steps per day). Conversely, students in Ukraine tend to decrease the volume of physical activity (13 years – 9,9 thousand steps per day, 15 years – 6,7 thousand steps per day).

Background: Limited data exist in India regarding burden of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) in school children. Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and patterns of MSP, to find out the association of sociodemographic and contextual factors with MSP, and to report the association of MSP-related characteristics and bag weight with school attendance. Material and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted among 7th and 8th grade students of a private school in urban Puducherry. Students who could ambulate independently and stand on the weighing scale were included in this study. Previously diagnosed self-reported pathological causes of MSP were excluded from the study. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Height and weight were measured along with weight of student's backpack. Results: A total of 327 students were enrolled, majority (67%) being boys. Mean age of participants was 12.7 (standard deviation ±0.7) years. About 86% (282 out of 327) participants had experienced MSP in the preceding 2 weeks. Shoulders, neck, and knees were the parts reported to have maximum pain, i.e., in 43.6%, 39%, and 34.8% of the participants, respectively. A high proportion, i.e., 96% of the school bags weighed more than 10% of body weight. Significant association of MSP was found with participants' grade of study (P = 0.04), perception of bag weight (P = 0.01), comfort level of carrying bag (P < 0.01), and duration of carrying bag (P < 0.01). Factors such as pain affecting daily activities (P < 0.01) and number of health-care consultations (P < 0.01) were significantly associated with school attendance (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of MSP in school children was high. Associated sociodemographic and contextual factors should be addressed urgently.