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While peer influences have often found to be a risk factor in terms of adolescent substance use, parental variables may continue to serve as an adaptive and protective function, although the role of parents is more latent and controversial. Therefore, the main goal of this paper was to investigate the role of authoritative parenting style and other family variables in adolescents' smoking and drinking. Using a sample of Hungarian youth (N=2072; age range between 12 and 22; Mean=15.4years, S.D.=1.8years; 49,2% males) logistic regression analyses confirmed that authoritative parenting style (particularly responsiveness) and positive identification with parents may serve as a protection, whereas negative family interactions may act as a risk factor. These relationships are particularly decisive in case of monthly prevalence of drinking and both lifetime and current prevalence of smoking. Gender differences are slight (namely, parental control for boys, whereas responsiveness for girls seem to be more relevant), however, the role of certain parental variables may change with age. Although parental control tends to decrease among high school students, it even serves as a greater protection for those whose parents continue providing parental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depressive symptomatology contributes to morbidity and mortality across the life course. Among factors predicting adolescent depressive symptomatology, it has become increasingly important to identify factors that prevent or minimize it, i.e., protective factors. This study examines protective factors operating in three contextual domains (parental, school-related and individual) that hold promise for explicating their role in the prevention of depressive symptomatology among a non-clinical adolescent population in Hungary. Data from this cross-sectional survey were gathered using self-administered questionnaires from adolescents (N = 881; aged between 14 and 20 years; 44.6% females) from five randomly selected high schools in Szeged, Hungary. Multiple regression analyses revealed that individual level variables (i.e., life satisfaction and optimism) were important predictors of adolescent depressive symptomatology. Among parental variables, social support from the same-sex parents lowered depressive symptoms. In addition, having dinner together with one's family was a significant protective factor for boys, whereas talking about problems with parents was significant for girls. In our study, school-related factors played only a limited role in reducing depressive symptoms; being happy with school was a protective factor only for boys. As a consequence, our findings draw attention to important gender differences in the structuring of protective factors and their role in reducing depressive symptoms, which will likely continue to be an important part of the prevention conversation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes beliefs and knowledge of harmful environmental factors and environment-borne disease in 9- to 11-year-olds' (N=448) using the 'draw-and-write' technique as a method of data collection. Most respondents described the man-made environmental risks (such as car transportation or noise pollution) as direct effects; however, in their interpretations, lifestyle (e.g., smoking) and other effects (e.g., pollen pollution) also received considerable emphasis. Although many did not describe a specific disease as environment-borne diseases, the most mentioned among the children were infectious diseases followed by allergy. The results of this study draw the attention to the relationship between health and environmental consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The main goal of the study was to analyze youth's externalizing problem behaviors based on a risk and protective factors framework in two different cultural settings. METHOD: Data were collected among secondary school students in Szeged, Hungary (N=1240) and in Birmingham, AL, USA (N=1538). The self-administered questionnaires contained items on youth's externalizing problem behaviors as well as risk and protective factors. RESULTS: In both samples, first year students in secondary (high) schools and boys reported greater levels of problem behaviors. Multiple regression analyses revealed that substance use, gang membership and low academic achievement were consistent risk factors and associated with higher reporting levels of problem behaviors in both cultures. Parental monitoring served as an important protective factor in both samples, while school protective factors were only significant for American students. CONCLUSION: Findings draw attention to similar structures of certain risk and protective factors of youth's externalizing problem behaviors in different cultural settings. While there are universal risk factors (e. g., substance use, gang membership and low academic achievement), parental monitoring seems to be a universal protective factor against youth's externalizing problem behavior. An important difference is that the school domain seems to act as more important protection for American youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated whether the effects of self-regulatory cognitions and social influence variables on healthy behaviors - nutrition and physical activity - vary across countries. Adolescents (N = 2387) from Hungary, Poland, Turkey, and the USA participated in the study. Measures included self-efficacy, future orientation, social comparison orientation (SCO), perceived behaviors of peers, as well as age and gender. These variables were included in the path model as predictors of healthy behaviors. The role of a country as a moderator was also examined. Results showed that self-efficacy, SCO, and perceived behaviors of peers predicted both health-promoting behaviors in all four countries. Some differences were found regarding the role of future orientation and gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that cigarette smoking in East Europe is a major health problem, no effective health policy responses have been developed thus far. Health care professionals represent a valuable resource for tobacco control. Therefore, we wanted to obtain information about the acceptance of smoking among medical, nursing and pharmacy students (n = 270) in Szeged, Hungary. The self-administered questionnaire contained items on smoking behavior, beliefs and attitudes related to smoking. Chi2-test were used to determine differences in the attitudes among students. Smoking was the most frequent among nursing students, followed by medical students. Pharmacy students not only reported smoking the least but they also showed the most acceptable attitudes toward smoking. The high frequency of smoking among students suggests that they themselves are unable to cope with avoiding the dangers of smoking. Moreover, responses reflect a generally poor appreciation of responsibility that health care professionals have in prevention. There is a need for an increasing emphasis on smoking-related attitude formation among medical and nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined a set of background psychological and other variables of orthorexic (ON) tendency in a sample of young women with special interest in healthy lifestyle. The sample consisted of female young adults ( N  = 310; aged 18-35 years; mean age = 24.3 years; SD = 4.97 years) who were recruited through social media health sites. Besides Orthorexia Nervosa Questionnaire (ORTO‑15), BMI, regular sporting activity, the following scales were used: Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI, drive for thinness, ineffectiveness and maturity fears); Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS); and The Proactive Coping Inventory. In this sample, 37.7% were at risk for ON. Eating disorder attitudes, regular sporting and social media addiction were the most relevant predictors of orthorexic tendency with drive for thinness being the strongest contributor (β = 0.54, p  < 0.001). For young women with a special interest in healthy lifestyle, drive for thinness together with regular sporting, ON tendency may serve as a tool for achieving their goal. Social media addiction and other psychological problems (feeling of ineffectiveness or maturity fears) can also contribute to orthorexic rendency. It would be important to ask for support from qualified health professionals when changing nutritional practices.

The present study explored the associations between orthorexia nervosa, social media addiction, emotion regulation difficulties, perfectionism and BMI with four facets of mindful eating, using path analysis to assess these relationships. A sample of 551 students (127 males, 424 females, mean age = 22.6 years) completed an online self-report questionnaire evaluating these constructs. Analyses revealed that mindful eating contributed to emotion dysregulation and orthorexia nervosa and was related to social media addiction. Significant indirect paths were identified from mindful eating, social media addiction and adaptive perfectionism through emotion dysregulation to maladaptive perfectionism. While no direct paths were observed between mindful eating and perfectionism, a direct path was found between adaptive perfectionism and orthorexia nervosa. These findings suggest a more nuanced understanding of eating behaviours is required. Individuals susceptible to eating disorders should approach mindful eating with caution and seek support from healthcare providers to ensure it is used in a way that supports overall wellbeing. Future research should aim to replicate and further clarify these associations to reveal the long-term effects of mindful eating., (© 2024 British Nutrition Foundation.)

Due to its impact on mental health and well-being, fear of happiness is beginning to receive more attention in research. This study, conducted in Hungary, explored the relationship between fear of happiness, perfectionism, loneliness, hopelessness, and academic burnout. Participants aged between 18 and 35 years (N = 1,148, M = 22 years, SD = 4.5) completed an online questionnaire that included self-report measures of these constructs. In the present study, males showed higher levels of fear of happiness and perfectionism than did females. Analyses also revealed that both adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism, academic burnout, loneliness, and hopelessness were positively related to fear of happiness. In multiple regression analysis, gender had a positive and age had a negative role in the levels of fear of happiness. Maladaptive perfectionism, academic burnout, loneliness, and hopelessness were positive predictors, while adaptive perfectionism almost reached statistical significance. These findings highlight the predictive role of previously unexplored variables in fear of happiness., (© 2024 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology published by Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) have become a major concern in modern societies. It is essential to detect their emotional, behavioral and social consequences as early as childhood. The aim of this study is to examine a set of strengths and difficulties and compare them between students with and without SLD. Participants in this study were adolescents aged 11-18 years from Budapest and villages of its Metropolitan area (Hungary) (N = 276, mean age = 13.6 years, SD = 1.8, 54.7% boys). Due to multistage sampling, a nearly equal number of students had SLD or not. In addition to sociodemographics, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Satisfaction With Life Scale and the Proactive Coping Inventory were included in the survey, and t -test, correlation and logistic regression analysis were applied in statistical analyses. Our findings suggest that in early adolescence (ages 11-14 years), conduct and peer problems, in late adolescence (ages 15-18 years), emotional problems, highlighted SLD. In terms of strengths, prosocial behavior in children with SLD may compensate difficulties, especially at a younger age. Students from lower SES families and those having parents with a lower educational level are more likely to have a diagnosis of SLD. Teachers and special educators should take care of improving the adolescents' prosociality, social and coping skills and listening to emotional, conduct and peer problems in those with SLD.

Adolescent life satisfaction is crucial to later adult health and well-being; therefore, searching for its correlates should receive priority in research. The aim of this study was to explore the role of psychological (depression, future orientation), school-related (school achievement, satisfaction with school), religious (going to church, importance of religion), socially supportive (family and friend support), other familial, and sociodemographic (age, sex, self-assessed socioeconomic status) factors in adolescent life satisfaction. This cross-sectional survey (entitled Szeged Youth Study 2022) involved a sample of middle and high school students (N = 2239, aged 11-18 years, 51.8% females) from public schools in Szeged, Hungary. Besides descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple regression analysis were applied to the data analyses. Boys scored higher on the life satisfaction scale (Satisfaction with Life Scale, SWLS), while the level of depression (Children's Depression Inventory, CDI) was higher among girls. In the final regression model, family support was the strongest predictor of life satisfaction ( β = 0.44, p < 0.001), followed by depression (as a negative contributor), socioeconomic (SES) self-assessment, future orientation, satisfaction with school, going to church, and friend support. School prevention programs should be focused not only on preventing mental health difficulties but also promoting adolescent well-being.

Objective: The association between chemical dependency and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is widely recognized, but there is less data regarding modern behavioral addictions among young adults., Method: In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 408 Hungarian college students (67.2% female, mean age 23.37 years [ SD  = 3.87]) responded to an online survey including the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), the Procrastination Scale, the Short College Boredom Scale, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV)., Results: Regression analyses showed that passive procrastination (ß = .31, p  < .001), depression (ß = .20, p  < .001), academic boredom (ß = .18, p  < .001), active procrastination (ß = -.12, p  < .001), and smartphone addiction (ß = .13, p  < .001) were significantly related to ADHD symptoms, accounting for 41% of the variance., Conclusion: Findings provide important additions to knowledge of mental health challenges among young adults with ADHD.

Adolescence is the most critical life stage for experimentation with substance use; however, this is also the most suitable period for strengthening protective factors and thus promoting adult physical and mental health. Since smoking and drinking still appear among the most frequent types of substance abuse in Europe, this study aims to examine the role of potential protective factors at multiple levels for adolescent smoking and drinking: psychological factors at the individual level, aspects of school attachment at the school level, social support variables at the social level, and measures of quality of life at the level of mental health. This cross-sectional survey involved a sample of adolescents (aged 11-18 years, N = 276) in Budapest and villages in its metropolitan area (Hungary). In addition to descriptive statistics, logistic regression analyses were used to detect odds for potential protective factors. There were no sex differences in adolescents' substance use. Self-control seems to be a universal and most determining protective factor against substance use, while other potential protective factors (self-esteem, resilience, social support from family or significant others, school attachment, and mental well-being) may also contribute to prevention. However, age and friend support acted as risk factors. Findings suggest that a complex approach to prevention should receive consideration.

Abstract: In the digital age, besides the well-known contributors to depression, more research is needed on certain activities of social media, such as online self-disclosure. Using an online survey, we examine the associations of depression with social media addiction, online self-disclosure, loneliness, and life satisfaction among a sample of Hungarian university students ( N = 301, aged between 18 and 30 years). There were no sex differences in depression scores. Findings showed the following: a) lonely students; b) those less satisfied with their lives; c) those sharing negative information; and d) those that engage in deep self-disclosure are more likely to report depressive symptomatology. Although social media addiction was a correlate of depression in bivariate analyses, it became nonsignificant when online self-disclosure and other psychological variables were introduced to the model. A more careful accounting of these relationships is needed to more wisely use social media when disclosing information about ourselves., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Social differences are evident in both developed and developing countries. During adolescence, there are limited differences in morbidity and mortality, but differences do appear in terms of health behaviours. This study aims to examine the relationship(s) between social differences and students' health behaviours. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 with a sample of high school students (N = 2741, aged 13-18 years) in Jordan. Besides descriptive statistics, bivariate logistic regression analysis was used to detect the odds risk for each social difference indicator. Females were engaged in more healthy dietary and hygienic behaviours and less engaged in smoking. Males were more physically active. Adolescents with a higher parental education level were more engaged in healthy behaviours; however, they drank carbonated soft drinks and ate fast food more often. Higher SES (socioeconomic status) self-evaluation was positively associated with eating breakfast and fruit and vegetables, being physically active, drinking carbonated soft drinks, eating fast food, and smoking. Our findings suggest that socioeconomic differences are important to understanding Jordanian adolescents' health behaviours. While females tend to engage in more healthy behaviours, the role of parental education and perceived family affluence is not always beneficial in terms of adolescents' dietary habits, hygienic behaviour, or smoking.

Background: University years often are accompanied by dramatic lifestyle changes resulting in an elevated risk of disordered eating among females. We examined the associations of disordered eating with body image, weight and media-related variables., Methods: Hungarian female university students (n = 261, mean age = 22.0 years; SD = 2.2 years) were the study participants using online data collection. The Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) was used to assess levels of and risk for disordered eating., Results: Twenty-four percent of the sample displayed disordered eating: students with family's eating disorders (OR = 4.73 [1.34-16.67], p < 0.05), body satisfaction (OR = 0.23 [0.07-0.70], p < 0.01), engagement in sporting (OR = 4.46[1.77-11.27], p < 0.01) and past slimming (OR = 5.63 [2.07-15.27], p < 0.001) were particularly at risk. Multiple linear regression indicated that dieting was associated with a higher score among sporting students (β = 0.18, p < 0.001) and internalization of media messages (β = 0.18, p < 0.001). BMI was a predictor of dieting (β = 0.15, p < 0.01) and oral control (β = -0.34, p < 0.001); social media addiction for bulimia (β = 0.17, p < 0.01)., Conclusions: Our paper highlights the role of body dissatisfaction, sporting and slimming tendencies, sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, and family's eating pathology in understanding female university students' disordered eating. There is a limited role that social media plays in part, due to possible age-related experiences and skills related to coping with a variety of social pressures., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement The authors declare no conflict of interest., (©2022 Pacini Editore SRL, Pisa, Italy.)

Background: School climate is one of several important factors influencing adolescent well-being and life satisfaction. Although a growing number of studies investigate the role of school climate, they often apply a global scale and only a few of them measure any specific elements. Likewise, most studies are focused on well-being and not life satisfaction., Aim: The purpose of this study is to investigate how different elements of school climate (teacher responsiveness, disruptive behavior, positive mutual bonds, classroom atmosphere, growth) are related to life satisfaction among a sample of Jordanian high school students., Methods: Using a self-administered and online questionnaire, the sample consists of adolescents from public schools located in northern Jordan (N = 2141, aged 13-18 years)., Results: Jordanian high school students' levels of life satisfaction were higher for girls [ t (2139) = -8.2, p < .001]. Disruptive behavior correlated negatively with classroom atmosphere ( r = -0.50; p < .001 among girls and r = -0.45; p < .001 for boys); teacher responsiveness was positively correlated with growth ( r = 0.49; p < .001 for girls and r = 0.61; p < .001 for boys). However, the role of disruptive behavior was different for girls (negative) compared to boys (positive), although these correlations were weak. In multiple regression analyses, teacher responsiveness ( β = 0.22; p < .001) and positive mutual bonds ( β = 0.19; p < .001) were largest contributors to life satisfaction beyond self-assessed socioeconomic status ( β = 0.27; p < .001). Age ( β = -0.08; p < .01) and growth ( β = 0.27; p < .001) were significant only for boys., Conclusions: These results demonstrate the importance of examining different elements of school climate in an effort to better understand adolescents' life satisfaction. Certain gender differences may highlight differences in social needs across different classroom settings which require further investigation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

While most studies concentrate on the negative psychological consequences of perfectionism, we know less about its antecedents. This study examined the relationship between adverse childhood experiences, difficulties in emotion regulation, academic anxiety and social support and maladaptive perfectionism among university students. A large sample of 1,750 students (81% female; M = 21.6 years, SD = 4.8) completed an online self-report survey assessing these constructs. Relative to males, female participants recorded higher scores for difficulties in emotion regulation, perceived social support and debilitating anxiety but not for perfectionism. In line with previous studies, perfectionism was positively related to difficulties in emotion regulation and childhood trauma, with the former being the stronger predictive variable. Debilitating academic anxiety was also a positive but much weaker contributor. In contrast, perceived social support was a significant negative predictor of perfectionism, suggesting that perfectionists can benefit from social connections. Age and gender did not play a role in perfectionism scores. These findings draw attention to the predictive role of emotion regulation and childhood adverse experiences in maladaptive perfectionism and stimulate further research into exploring its association with social support and test anxiety., (© 2021 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology published by Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Recent research has begun to focus on positive body image and how this can be supported in adolescence. Body appreciation is a key element of positive body image, and has been associated with self-reported health status, weight-related concern, family factors and psychological variables such as self-esteem. In this study we explored these associations among Hungarian adolescent females. Female high school students from two major towns in Csongrád county, Hungary (N = 454; age range from 14 to 20; M = 16.3 years, SD = 1.2) completed questionnaires assessing body appreciation, self-esteem, optimism, life satisfaction and health- and weight-related variables. Analyses revealed that body appreciation was most strongly related to self-esteem, as well as being positively associated with life satisfaction, self-perceived health, being in control of diet, and engagement in sport. Conversely, binge drinking, engaging in slimming behaviors and having eating disorders in the family were negatively associated with body appreciation. These findings provide some indications of factors that might be targetted in health education programs aiming to promote positive body image and to develop resilience against body dissatisfaction in this demographic group. Such programs should also include information of nutrition and media literacy., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Adolescence is a critical stage in life course development. It is a particularly relevant stage regarding our understanding of eating behaviors since adolescent's evolving, more autonomous food preferences tend to be influenced by peers and media as much if not more than the family. Therefore, exploring adolescent's eating preferences could be an important focus to developing prevention programs., Aims: To explore the role of psychological variables (namely, self-risk perception, self-control and eating motivations) and their relationships with healthy eating attitudes., Methods: A sample of adolescents (Szeged, Hungary, N = 274, ages 14-19 years; mean age = 15.95 years, S.D. = 1.17 years; 54% males) was recruited to participate in the study. Data were collected from self-administered/anonymous questionnaires. Besides descriptive statistics, correlations and a path analysis were applied to examine the relationships between self-control, self-risk perception, eating motivations and healthy eating attitudes., Results: Self-control played a decisive role, both directly and indirectly in healthy eating attitudes, while self-risk-perception had a less important mediating role. Eating motives were directly related to eating attitudes but in a different way: health motives were positively associated with healthy eating attitudes, while social and external motives had a negative relationship., Conclusions: The path analysis suggests that self-control indeed plays an important role in developing healthy attitudes. While health motives play a more decisive role in health-related attitudes than we might expect, self-risk perception plays a limited role perhaps due to the notion that adolescents typically present a feeling of invulnerability. These findings suggest that despite their diminished self-risk perception, adolescents tend to be health conscious in nutrition, particularly when it combines with the underlying impact of self-control and health motives., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Alcohol use continues to be an important global public health problem and adolescence seems to be a decisive period of time in the development of drinking patterns into adulthood. While most studies concentrate on frequency and amount of alcohol, fewer studies address "problem drinking." Gathering information on youth's alcohol-related behavioral consequences is especially important., Objectives: Current research focuses on gathering information on the background of problem drinking behavior with special attention to parental/familial relationships., Methods: The survey was conducted within the youth health behavior - Makó research project in 2012 (n = 1,981, aged 13-18 years, 50.9% males). Anonymous, self-administered questionnaires contained items on sociodemographics, substance use, and parental/familial relationships (such as parental control and awareness or variables of family environment)., Results: Problem drinking (identified in 17.2% of the sample) was more common among males and high school students and those from lower socioeconomic status groups compared to their counterparts. Among the familial/parental variables, negative family interactions, discussion of problems with parents, physical and sexual abuse were positively related to adolescent problem drinking, whereas parental control and awareness, and the positive identification with parents proved to be protective factors. Conclusions/Importance: We conclude that parents and the family were important correlates of adolescents' problem drinking. Our findings suggest that on-going school interventions to prevent the development of problem drinking among youth should include parents and the family.

Unlabelled: This study investigated the role of self-esteem, social (need to belong, loneliness, competitiveness, and shyness), and health (smoking, drinking) behaviors in Hungarian adolescents' psychosomatic symptoms. Our sample of 490 students (ages 14-19 years) from Debrecen (Hungary) completed the questionnaires. Besides descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple regression analyses were applied to test interrelationships. Frequency analysis revealed that fatigue was the most commonly experienced psychosomatic symptom in this sample, followed by sleeping problems and (lower) back pain. Girls reported experiencing more symptoms. Multiple regression analyses suggested that (1) need to belong, shyness, and competitiveness may serve as social behavioral risk factors for adolescents' psychosomatic symptomatology, whereas (2) self-esteem may play a protective role. The role of social and health behaviors was modified when analyzed by gender: the psychosomatic index score was positively related to smoking and shyness among girls, and need to belong among boys. Self-esteem provided protection for both sexes., Conclusion: We conclude that problems with social relationships (namely, unmet need to belong, competitiveness, and shyness) may lead to psychosomatic health complaints, whereas self-esteem may serve as a protection. Findings suggest that social skills training and strengthening self-esteem should be an important part of children's health promotion programs in schools to improve their psychosomatic health and well-being., What Is Known: • Despite being free of serious physical illness, many adolescents often report subjective health complaints, such as psychosomatic symptoms • As children in this life stage develop independence and autonomy, new types of social relationships, and identity, their social needs and skills also change What is new: • Need to belong, shyness, and competitiveness may serve as social behavioral risk factors for adolescents' psychosomatic symptomatology, whereas self-esteem may play a protective role • The role of social and health behaviors may vary by gender.

Health is a state of homeostasis of four principle kinds, namely, biochemical, physiological, psychological, and social. In this article, we complete this theory with a fifth element, namely, spiritual balance. Existential attitudes have been found to be closely related to identity formation, moral development, value-related attitudes, personal goals, and lifestyle choices. Meaning in life and searching for meaning serve better health since they may encourage people to engage in health-promoting behaviors and avoid health-risking behaviors, such as obesity and eating disorders. The meaning-making model proposes that people's perceptions may contribute to content/discontent with life, body, and the world., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Studying adolescents' health risk behaviours is oddly significant in Central and Eastern European countries, where the prevalence of smoking and drinking among 14-18 year old students is significantly high. The goal of our study is to examine the role of social psychological and social behavioural variables in health risk behaviours among Hungarian adolescents., Methods: Our sample was comprised of three high schools of Debrecen (the second largest city of Hungary). In all, 501 students filled in the questionnaire from 22 classes (14-22 years old). Students aged above 18 years were excluded for the purpose of the study, giving a total sample size of 471 high school students. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted., Results: According to our results (1) social behavioural factors (namely, smoking and alcohol use of the best friend and peer group) proved to be better predictors of adolescents' health risk behaviours as compared to the included social psychological attributes (2); among the latter ones, loneliness and shyness were negatively related with both smoking and drinking, while competitiveness was a predictor of drinking prevalence among boys., Conclusions: The findings suggest that social behavioural factors, including smoking and drinking of friends, are oddly important predictors of Hungarian adolescents' health risk behaviours. According to our results, health policy should pay more attention to peer norms related to smoking and drinking during school health promotion. Developing health protective social norms may be an indispensable component of effective health promotion in high schools.

Motives may be an important influence for substance use among youth. The goal of this research was to study the relation of social, self-enhancement, boredom relief and affect regulation motives to smoking and drinking in a sample of Eastern European high school students and to examine variation in the effects of these motives by gender. Our sample involved 500 students (ages 14-20 years) from three high schools in a large city in Hungary. Multiple logistic regression analyses examined the relation between motives and substance user status. Social motives were significantly related to both smoking and drinking (except for boys' smoking). Affect regulation motives were a significant predictor of smoking; in addition, boredom relief was a significant motive for smoking among boys. Mother's educational level was inversely related to youth substance use, whereas father's education was positively related to alcohol use among girls. School-based prevention programs should include cognitive education and social skills training to counter perceived benefits of substance use. Further research is needed to clarify the relation of alcohol use to parental education.

The present longitudinal study investigated the incremental contribution of meaning in life to sustaining health-promoting behaviors, after controlling for well-being and health values among East-European adolescents (N = 456). Time 1 responses on presence of meaning, search for meaning, well-being, and health values were used to predict levels of healthy eating and physical activity 13 months later. All independent variables significantly predicted engagement in healthy eating and physical activity. Presence of meaning and search for meaning were the most robust predictors, and the interaction of them predicted additional variance in healthy eating among boys and physical activity among girls., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Introduction: According to several empirical studies, mental well-being is significant in adolescence; adolescent's social network is undergoing radical changes while at the same time depression is increasing. The primary goal of our study is to determine whether socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with mental health status of Hungarian adolescents and the strength and nature of this association., Methods: Our sample was comprised of three high schools of Debrecen (the second largest city of Hungary). Data were collected in January 2013. In all, 471 students filled out the questionnaire from 22 classes (14-18 years old). 'Absolute' (education and occupational status of the parents, assessed by the adolescent) and 'subjective' (self-assessment of family's social class) SES measures and five mental health indicators (shyness, loneliness, need to belong, psychosomatic symptoms, self-esteem) were involved. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between family SES and mental health indicators., Results: Our results indicate that association between adolescents' 'subjective' SES and mental well-being is not gradient-like. Manual employment and unemployment status of both parents also proved to be significant determinants of mental health status., Conclusions: According to our results, professionals of school-based mental health programs should consider students whose parents are unemployed or have manual occupational status as a high risk group in terms of mental well-being.

The interacting protective role of diet control and physical activity was examined in understanding adolescents' substance use and psychological health. Questionnaire survey was conducted in Hungary in 2008 (N = 881). Diet control, physical activity, prevalence of substance use, and psychological health variables were measured. Logistic regression analyses showed that the interaction term of diet control and physical activity significantly increased the odds of self-perceived health, decreased substance use, and influenced the level of optimism, satisfaction with life, and the presence of depressive symptoms. Results indicated that the interaction of diet control and physical activity plays important role in adolescents' health behavior.

Aims: Interpersonal theory suggests relationships between socio-economic status (SES) and adolescent psychopathology mediated by negative parenting. This study examines the role of perceived parental social support and optimism in understanding adolescents' depression and self-rated health among a sample of Hungarian youth., Methods: Using a self-administered questionnaire, data (N = 881) were collected from high-school students (14-20 years old) in Szeged, Hungary (a regional centre in the southeastern region, near to the Serbian border, with a population of 170,000 inhabitants). To analyse the overall structure of the relationship between objective/subjective SES, parental support, optimism and health outcomes (depression, self-perceived health), structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed., Results: Findings suggest the following: (1) SES variables generate social inequalities in adolescent depression through parental social support, particularly maternal support; and (2) parents provide youths with different levels of social support that in turn may strengthen or weaken optimism during the socialization process., Conclusions: In addressing depression prevention and treatment, we may want to take into account socio-economic differences in social networks and levels of optimism, which may influence youths' psychosocial adjustment and development of psychopathology.

Understanding how adolescents achieve meaning in life has important implications for their psychological development. A social cognitive model of meaning development was tested by assessing psychological (self-efficacy, self-regulation and social comparison) and parental (parental responsiveness, demandingness, and social support) variables in a sample of 1944 adolescents (aged 15-19 years; 47.8% males) from secondary schools of the Middle Transylvanian Region, Romania. Both psychological and parental factors were significantly related to meaning in life. For both boys and girls, self-efficacy, self-regulation, and maternal responsiveness related positively with meaning in life, and paternal demandingness related inversely to meaning in life. However, social comparison related positively to meaning only among boys, and paternal responsiveness related positively to meaning only among girls. Results point to a possible meaning-supporting role played by social cognitive variables, as well as parental autonomy support. The gender differences observed here suggest that existing theories of meaning development may need to be elaborated to include family of origin and gender.

Objective: A growing number of studies focus on the relationship between religiosity/spirituality and substance use, including drinking. Although these studies often find a negative association between religiosity and adolescent alcohol use, different religious variables may play an altering role in alcohol-related activities. The primary goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between a set of religious variables (religious denomination, church membership, religious attendance, praying, religiosity, spiritual beliefs, and well-being) and drinking patterns (current alcohol use, lifetime prevalence of drinking, and heavy episodic drinking) among a sample of Hungarian youth., Method: Data were collected among high school students (N = 592; ages between 14 and 17 years; 48.1% male) from a randomly selected set of schools in Szeged, Hungary, using a self-administered questionnaire and standardized procedures. Student participation was voluntary and confidential., Results: Despite a high level of alcohol use and a relatively low level of religiosity in the sample, we detected a relationship between the importance of religiousness/religious well-being and alcohol use, although religious denomination and affiliation were not significant correlates. Religious attendance and private praying were associated with lower odds of alcohol use among girls; boys who reported a belief in traditional religion were less likely to engage in alcohol use., Conclusions: These exploratory results provide further details to a growing body of research showing that despite adolescents' low religious involvement, religiosity can play an important role in some youth's lives and may serve as a protective factor against alcohol use and misuse.

Among factors predicting adolescent mood problems, certain aspects of the parent-adolescent relationship play an important role. In previous studies, children whose parents had an authoritative style of parenting reported the best behavioral and psychological outcomes. Therefore, the main goal of this paper was to investigate the role of authoritative parenting style and other family variables (negative family interactions and positive identification with parents) in adolescents' depressive symptomatology. The study was carried out in all primary and secondary schools in Mako and the surrounding region in Hungary in the spring of 2010, students of grades 7-12 (N = 2,072): 49.2% of the sample were males; 38.1% primary school pupils; and 61.9% high school students. Self-administered questionnaires contained items of measuring depressive symptoms (CDI) and parental variables beyond sociodemographics. Beyond descriptive statistics and calculation of correlation coefficients, multiple linear regression analyses were applied to detect relationships between parental variables and depressive scores by gender. Overall, our data support a negative association between authoritative parenting style and adolescent mood problems, particularly among girls. Among boys, only mother's responsiveness was a significant predictor. Among girls, father's parenting played a decisive role; not only his responsiveness but also demandingness. Interestingly, mother's demandingness went together with an elevated depressive score for girls. Prevention programs cannot guarantee success without taking into account the role of parents. Teaching positive parenting seems to be a part of these prevention programs that may include facilitating intimate yet autonomous relationships.

Background: Hungary will continue to experience a high burden of disease and death from lung cancer and other tobacco-induced disease unless there is a significant reduction in youth smoking. Social factors have been found to be among the most important determinants of adolescent smoking, yet few studies have investigated social normative beliefs in Hungarian youth. The purpose of the current study was to investigate three measures of smoking normative beliefs thought to influence adolescent smoking: perceived prevalence of smoking; perceived popularity of smoking among successful/elite elements of society; and perceived disapproval by friends and family., Methods: A cross-sectional school-based survey of eighth grade (n = 258) and 12th grade (n = 288) students in Mako, Hungary was conducted to assess social normative beliefs about smoking, current smoking, ever smoking, and susceptibility to smoking. The association of the normative beliefs with the smoking behavior variables was examined through logistic regression analysis, and the underlying factor structure of the normative belief items in the current sample was determined through factor analysis., Results: The percent of boys reporting current smoking was 40.5% in 12th grade and 27.0% in eighth grade. Among girls, the percent was 44.0% of 12th graders and 29.1% of eighth graders. Parent/peer disapproval was the most consistently associated normative belief with smoking behavior and susceptibility to smoking across both samples., Conclusions: Youth smoking prevention programs should consider assessing and taking into account normative beliefs and develop strategies that provide accurate information about the actual prevalence of smoking, the types of individuals who smoke, and approval/disapproval of smoking by parents and peers., (© 2011 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2011 Japan Pediatric Society.)

Background: Searching for a coherent meaning in life has long been proposed to be a protective factor in adolescent development., Purpose: The present study aimed to examine meaning in life as a protective factor in a largely unstudied population: Romanian adolescents. Additionally, we sought to provide a novel, multidimensional assessment of several health-related variables (substance abuse, health risk behaviors, psychological health). Potential gender differences were explored regarding the role of life meaning in adolescent health., Method: Data were collected in 2006 from students enrolled in the secondary schools of the Middle Transylvanian Region, Romania (n = 1,977). Self-administered questionnaires were used as a method of data collection including items of life meaning and psychological health., Results: Meaning in life played a protective role with regard to health risk behaviors except smoking and binge drinking. Among males, meaning in life was found to be correlated only to illicit drug and sedative use, whereas among females, meaning in life was associated with binge drinking, unsafe sex, and lack of exercise and diet control. Psychological health was strongly related to meaning in life., Conclusion: In Romanian adolescents, meaning in life is a protective factor against health risk behaviors and poor psychological health.

Gender differences in the relationship between religiosity and substance use (lifetime prevalence and current use) were examined among high school students in Szeged, Hungary (N = 881). Experimenting with and consuming tobacco and alcoholic beverages were characteristic in the sample to a great extent, whereas marijuana use was not as frequent. Logistic regression analyses were employed to test how variables of religiosity, that is, denominational affiliation, religiosity, and religious attendance, were related to substance use of youth by gender. Our findings confirmed the importance of the protective role of religious involvement, particularly among females.

As adolescent overweight has become a widespread problem in the developed world, it is timely to understand commonalities underlying dietary practices across countries. This study examines whether consumption of fruits and vegetables and fatty foods among adolescents in different countries is related to the same individual difference and social influence factors-in particular, adolescents' self-control, diet concerns and perceptions of typical (un)healthy eating peers (prototypes). We included 511 normal weight and overweight adolescents (14-19 years) from the United States, the Netherlands and Hungary, who completed a survey during class hours. After controlling for country and demographics, an additional 8% of the variance in the consumption of fatty foods was explained by self-control, diet concerns and prototypes of unhealthy eaters. Only 3% of fruit and vegetable consumption was explained by these factors, and only the association with self-control was significant. This study demonstrates that the same individual difference and social influence factors may influence adolescents' dietary practices in different countries. In addition to highlighting country differences in dietary practices and the prevalence of overweight, exploring common factors that may shape dietary practices across countries is important for future research. These commonalities may advance conceptual understanding and inform prevention across developed countries.

Adolescent health behaviours are influenced by a variety of social factors, including social orientations, such as social comparison or competitiveness. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the role that these social orientations might play in health behaviours (both health-impairing and health-promoting). Data were collected from high school students (N = 548; ages 14-20 years; 39.9% males) in two counties of the Southern Plain Region of Hungary. The self-administered questionnaires contained items on sociodemographics, such as age, sex, parental schooling, and socioeconomic status (SES) self-assessment; school achievement, health behaviours, competitiveness and social comparison. Multiple regression analyses suggest that those who scored higher on competitiveness engaged in more substance use, a pattern that was not present for health-promoting behaviours. Social comparison, however, was associated with lower levels of substance use. In addition, in relation to health-impairing behaviours, both competitiveness and social comparison interacted with sex; both social orientation variables proved to be more important for boys. Social comparison also contributed to health-promoting behaviours among boys. Findings support the idea that the role of social orientations, such as competitiveness and social comparison, can be quite different depending on sex and the nature of the health behaviour. While competitiveness may act as a risk factor for substance use among boys, social comparison may act as a protection. It appears that social orientations play less of a role in girls' health-related behaviours. More focus is needed on gender differences in influences on adolescents' health-related behaviours. Les comportements de santé des adolescents sont influencés par une variété de facteurs sociaux, incluant les orientations sociales telles que la comparaison sociale ou la compétitivité. Le but principal de la présente étude était d'examiner le rôle que ces orientations sociales peuvent jouer dans les comportements de santé (à la fois néfastes et bénéfiques). Les données ont été recueillies auprès d'étudiants collégiaux (N = 548; âgés de 14 à 20 ans; 39.9% masculins) dans deux comtés du sud de la Hongrie. Les questionnaires auto-administrés contenaient des items portant sur les aspects sociodémographiques (tels que l'âge, le sexe, la scolarité des parents et le niveau économique), la performance scolaire, les comportements de santé, la compétitivité et la comparaison sociale. Des analyses de régression multiple suggèrent que ceux qui ont obtenu des scores supérieurs de compétitivité consommaient plus de substances, un patron qui n'était pas présent pour les comportements de santé bénéfiques. La comparaison sociale, cependant, était associée à de faibles niveaux de consommation de substances. De plus, en relation avec les comportements de santé néfastes, à la fois la compétitivité et la comparaison sociale interagissaient avec le sexe; les deux variables d'orientation sociale se sont révélées être plus importantes pour les garçons. La comparaison sociale contribuait aussi aux comportements de santé bénéfiques chez les garçons. Ces résultats soutiennent l'idée que le rôle des orientations sociales, telles que la compétitivité et la comparaison sociale, peut être assez différent dépendamment du sexe de l'individu et de la nature du comportement de santé. Tandis que la compétitivité peut agir comme facteur de risque pour la consommation de substances chez les garçons, la comparaison sociale peut agir comme facteur de protection. Il apparaît que les orientations sociales jouent un rôle moins grand en ce qui concerne les comportements de santé des filles. Il est nécessaire de focaliser davantage sur les différences de genre dans les influences reliées aux comportements de santé des adolescents. Las conductas de salud en adolescentes son influenciadas por una variedad de factores sociales, incluyendo las orientaciones sociales, la comparación social, así como la capacidad de competencia. La meta principal de este estudio fue el investigar el rol que pueden jugar estas orientaciones sociales sobre las conductas de salud (tanto perjudiciales como promotoras de salud). Los datos fueron obtenidos en escolares de la escuela secundaria (N = 548; edad 14-20 años; 39.9 por ciento hombres) en dos provincias de la zona sur de Hungría. Los cuestionarios autoadministrados incluyen preguntas sobre datos socio-demográficos como edad, sexo, nivel educativo de los padres y autoevaluación del estatus socio-económico; logros académicos, conductas de salud, competitividad y comparación social. Los análisis de regresión múltiple sugieren que aquellos participantes con altos puntajes en la capacidad de competencia estaban más comprometidos con el uso de substancias, un patrón que no está considerado dentro de las conductas de promoción de la salud. Por otro lado la comparación social estuvo asociada con bajos niveles de uso de substancias. Adicionalmente en relación a las conductas perjudiciales para la salud, tanto la competitividad como la comparación social interactuaban con el sexo. Se pudo observar que ambas variables de la orientación social eran más importantes para los muchachos. La comparación social también contribuye con las conductas promotoras de salud entre los muchachos. Estos descubrimientos apoyan la idea de que el rol de las orientaciones sociales, como la competitividad y la comparación social, pueden actuar de manera diferente, dependiendo del sexo y de la naturaleza de la conducta de salud. Mientras que competitividad puede actuar como un factor de riesgo respecto del uso de substancias entre muchachos, la comparación social puede actuar como una factor protectivo. Aparentemente las orientaciones sociales juegan un rol menos importante en las conductas de salud de las muchachas. Por ello se necesita una mayor focalización respecto de la influencia de las diferencias de género sobre las conductas asociadas con la salud en adolescentes.

Protective factors may promote successful development by neutralizing the effects of negative risk factors. This paper is focused on possible protective factors of adolescent substance in a sample of high school students (N=881) in Szeged, Hungary. Data were collected in 2008. Self-administered questionnaires were applied that measured smoking, binge drinking, marijuana use and parental and school-related protective factors. Multiple regression analysis revealed that parental monitoring was a universal protective factor for adolescents. Acceptance and respect of parents' values may serve as a protection against binge drinking among adolescents. High academic achievement was a predictor of smoking and binge drinking, talking about problems with teachers and being happy with school were predictors of marijuana use. Future research is needed to clarify the altered role of parent-child relationship in adolescents' substance use.

This study examines a conceptual model linking individual cognitive-behavioral and familial influences to adolescents' poor diet control as a health-risk behavior. A cross-sectional survey collected data from students enrolled in the secondary schools of the Middle Transylvanian Region, Romania (N = 1977). Self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. Logistic regression analyses revealed that future-orientation, self-regulation, life purpose, parenting style and parental support were all significant protective factors against adolescents' poor diet control. While both individual and familial variables act as protection for girls and younger adolescents, for boys and older adolescents, only parental variables are significant.

We examined the impact of risk and protective factors on the odds that African American adolescents seriously think about or attempt suicide. Data from students in grades 5-12 in a mostly urban, southeastern U.S. school district were analyzed. Findings support earlier work documenting differences in gender and grades. Risk factors were uniformly significant in understanding both ideation and attempts. Protective factors were not consistent predictors; the lowering role of religious protective factors was limited, though student's belonging to or their perception of belonging to a spiritual community was a significant factor in lowering the odds of suicide ideation.

Objective: The main goal of the present study was to assess adolescents' risk perception, namely, their estimates of the likelihood of smoking and alcohol-related illnesses and accidents., Methods: The survey was conducted among high school students in Szeged (N = 560, aged between 14-19 years; mean: 16.7; S.D.: 1.4 years). The self-administered questionnaire contained items on sociodemographics, risk perception, health risk behaviors, and certain psychosocial variables., Results: Being a male was associated with risk perception only in terms of alcohol-related illnesses. Smokers, alcohol users, and those who engaged in reckless transportation, evaluated themselves as being at higher risk for substance related illnesses and accidents compared to those who did not report such behaviors. Those who tended to use a seat belt, however, estimated the same amount of risk for an accident as did those who tended not to use them. Social attitudes tended to positively, whereas personal attitudes tended to negatively influence perceptions of health risks. The role of social comparison and self-efficacy, however, depends on the nature of behavior., Conclusion: Besides behavioral influences, psychosocial variables also play a role in adolescents' risk perception.

Aims: Habits of leisure time sports activity, similar to other health behaviours, are established during late childhood and early adolescence. While regular leisure time sports activity is a natural part of children's lifestyle, it starts to decrease during adolescence, particularly among girls. Among the factors influencing children's sports activity, the role of parents, peers, and other members of children's social networks seem to be crucial. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of social influences in early adolescents' leisure time sports activity and to examine gender differences., Methods: Data were collected from middle school students using randomly selected classes from four schools in distinct school districts in Szeged, Hungary, using a self-administered questionnaire (n = 548) in which a response rate of 91% was achieved. Respondents were 10-15 years of age (mean = 12.2 years, SD = 1.2 years) with 54.9% of the sample male and 45.1% female., Results: Results show significant others as an important influence on sport-related behaviours and suggest that during early adolescence girls' sports participation is particularly influenced by the social influence of peers (e.g. friends, classmates, boy/girlfriend)., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that health promotion programmes should build on possible social influences, i.e. the role of peers, parents and significant others in general, in fostering adolescents' physical activity.

We examined the relation of four motive dimensions to tobacco and alcohol use in samples of high school students in Hungary (N=602) and the United States (N=1,225). Rates of cigarette smoking were higher in Hungary than the US, and rates of alcohol use were comparable; boys showed higher rates of smoking in Hungary and higher rates of alcohol use in both countries. For smoking, social motives were predictive only in Hungary, while boredom relief and affect regulation were more predictive in the US. For alcohol use, social motives was the only dimension related to drinking in Hungary, whereas in the US all motive dimensions were predictive for girls' drinking, and social and affect regulation motives were predictive for boys' drinking. Gender differences in smoking and alcohol use were partially mediated through motives for use, with the specific mediators depending on the cultural context.

It is suggested that a more profound understanding of cigarette smoking among adolescents should include the social images they have of smokers. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the role of smoker prototypes in adolescents' smoking status and to compare the role of negative and positive smoker images. Data were collected from high school students in two counties of the Southern Plain Region of Hungary (N=548; ages between 14 and 21 years). The self-administered questionnaires contained items on sociodemographics, smoking occurrence, and smoker prototypes. Factor analysis revealed three smoker prototypes: a negative prototype (e.g., dull, childish), a positive social appearance prototype (e.g., cool, popular), and a positive individual competence prototype (such as smart, independent) all with satisfactory reliability. Odds ratios suggest that the role of the negative prototypes for nonsmokers is greater than the role of positive prototypes for smokers. For boys, positive individual competence prototype also seems to be important. Health promotion programs should focus on fostering negative social images in prevention.

Background: While socioeconomic differences in health, morbidity, and disability are highest among middle-aged persons, there is a certain level of 'equalization' during adolescence and young adulthood. Despite this equalization, however, there still are differences in psychosocial variables or health-related behaviours, often very subtle and sometimes difficult to measure., Methods: Using data (n = 1114) on high school students (aged between 14 and 21 years) from the Southern Plain Region, Hungary, the present study looks at the role of multiple SES indicators (objective and subjective; occupation and education; family structure) in adolescents' psychosocial health (self-perceived health, psychosomatic, and depressive symptomatology) and health behaviour (substance use and sports activity)., Results: Based on the results of multivariate logistic regression analyses, findings suggest the following: (i) SES self-assessment proved to be a significant predictor of adolescents' psychosocial health and health behaviours; (ii) family structure (that is, living in a non-intact family) also significantly influenced adolescents' psychosocial health and health behaviours; (iii) parents' employment status and schooling had a limited influence on their children's health outcomes; (iv) in a word, SES gradients in adolescents' psychosocial health and health behaviour were inconsistent and sometimes irregular (that is, inverse). The subjective SES measurement plays an important role (positive association), whereas certain types of parents' inactive status (in terms of labour market, that is, unemployment or retirement) seem to act in a predictable way (negative association)., Conclusions: Our results indicate that despite certain level of equalization during adolescence, some important relationships between SES variables and health outcomes may occur.