scholarly journals Classroom-Based Mindfulness Training Reduces Anxiety in Adolescents: Acceptability and Effectiveness of a Cluster-Randomized Pilot Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanette M. Johnstone ◽  
Amanda Ribbers ◽  
David Jenkins ◽  
Rachel Atchley ◽  
Hanna Gustafsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Passive Control ◽  
Home Practice ◽  
Expectancy Effects ◽  
School Students ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Mindfulness Intervention ◽  
Students Satisfaction

Objective: Many high school students experience a high degree of anxiety and perceived stress. This study examined whether a classroom-based mindfulness program or a wellness program were acceptable and effective as anxiety and stress reduction interventions based on students’ self-reports. Design, setting, and participants: Thirteen health education classes (n=285 students, aged 14–16 years) were randomized by classroom to one of three conditions: mindfulness, wellness, or usual health class only (passive control/waitlist), for 8 weeks. Outcomes: Pre- and post-intervention scores compared self-reported measures of depression, anxiety and stress. Results: Complete data were available from nine classes (n=202 students). Post-intervention anxiety scores were reduced in students who received the mindfulness intervention compared to those who received only their usual health class (β=−0.07, SE=0.03, P≤0.001; 95% CI=−0.12, −0.02). No significant between group differences were found for depression or stress (P>0.4). Students’ satisfaction with the mindfulness intervention they received withstood baseline credibility and expectancy effects: r=0.21, n=67, P=0.17 for credibility; r=−0.001, n=67, P=0.99 for expectancy. However, students’ satisfaction with the wellness intervention they received was positively correlated with their pre-intervention expectations, r=0.42, n=47, P<0.001. Fifty-two percent of the 68 students assigned to mindfulness (n=35) used the iPad app for mindfulness home practice at least once; of those, 10% used it 10 or more times. Conclusion: Eight weeks of classroom-based mindfulness, with limited home practice, reduced self-reported anxiety compared to usual health class, and withstood baseline expectancy effects in this group of high school students, a majority who come from high income families. Clinical implications: School- or community-based mindfulness may be an appropriate recommendation for adolescents who experience anxiety.

scholarly journals A Peer-Based Educational Intervention Effects on SARS-CoV-2 Knowledge and Attitudes among Polish High-School Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 12183
Author(s):  
Maria Ganczak ◽  
Oskar Pasek ◽  
Łukasz Duda-Duma ◽  
Julia Komorzycka ◽  
Karol Nowak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Educational Intervention ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
School Students ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Knowledge And Attitudes ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Serious Disease

To support high school students to develop knowledge they need to adhere to control measures during the pandemic, a peer-based educational intervention on SARS-CoV-2 was developed and its impact was evaluated. Multistage random sampling was used. The 50 min peer-based intervention was conducted by final year medical students. Baseline and post-intervention knowledge and attitudes were assessed. Significance was tested by McNemar’s/Wilcoxon rank tests. Of 518 participants (mean age 17.8 years ± 0.43), 81.0% did not receive any school-based education on SARS-CoV-2. After intervention, the knowledge score improved from 65.2% to 81.6%, attitudes from 63.2% to 70.8% (both p < 0.0001). The effect size after the intervention compared to pre-intervention showed moderate improvement of knowledge, but not attitudes (d = 0.46 and d = 0.18, respectively). Pre- and post-intervention, females, students in non-science programs, living in cities < 250,000 inhabitants had lower knowledge, while fewer males, non-science program students, living in smaller cities presented positive attitudes. Before intervention, 67.0% students correctly named SARS-CoV-2 preventive methods and 73.6% were concerned COVID-19 is a serious disease; these improved after intervention (to 80.1% and 86.3%; p < 0.0001). The intervention was not very successful in increasing the intent to vaccinate for COVID-19 (pre-intervention 52.9%, post-intervention 56.4%; p < 0.007). Peer-based teaching for high school students can be effective in increasing SARS-CoV-2 knowledge and awareness. More efforts are needed to improve attitudes and enhance acceptance of vaccination against COVID-19.

scholarly journals Effect of a strength and stretching program, combined or isolated, on active flexibility in physical education setting. A pilot study

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-13
Author(s):  
Miguel Angel Perera Zurita
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Time Allocation ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Wilcoxon Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
School Students ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Effective Development

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a two-session-per-week strength and stretching program, on sit and reach score, among high-school students in the physical education setting. Methods. A sample of 75 high-school students (26 girls and 49 boys) aged 12-14 years from four classes were clustered and randomly assigned to a stretching group (n = 21), a strengthening group (n = 18), a strengthening + stretching group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 16). During physical education classes, the experimental students performed a 1-minute stretching, a 1-minute strengthening or a 1-minute strengthening + 1-minute stretching program twice a week a total of 20 weeks. Control students performed the same physical education classes, but they did not follow any strength and/or stretching program. Active flexibility (estimated by the classic sit-and-reach test) was assessed at the beginning and at the end of the intervention program. Results. The Wilcoxon test results showed that students that performed a combined strengthening and stretching program increased statistically significantly their active flexibility levels from pre-intervention to post-intervention (∆ = 1.8 ± 3.2 cm; p < 0.05). However, for students that performed an isolated) program and control group students statistically significant differences were not found (strengthening group, ∆ = 0.6 ± 0.7 cm; stretching group, ∆ = 0.3 ± 2.3 cm; control group, ∆ = 0.7 ± 1.5 cm; p > 0.05). Conclusions. Since in physical education many curricular contents need to be developed each academic year and the subject is also restricted by its limited curriculum time allocation, teachers could improve students’ flexibility combining stretching and strength workout. Therefore, in addition to the improvement of students’ flexibility levels, this intervention program might permit regular development of other physical education curricular contents. This knowledge could help and guide teachers to design programs that guarantee a feasible and effective development of flexibility in the physical education setting.

scholarly journals The Effect of Strengthened Physical Education on Academic Achievements in High School Students: A Quasi-Experiment in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (23) ◽  
pp. 4688
Author(s):  
Yunting Zhang ◽  
Xiaochen Ma ◽  
Jin Zhao ◽  
Hong Shen ◽  
Fan Jiang
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
School Students ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Math Scores ◽  
School Based ◽  
Post Intervention Group

Objectives: Evidence of school-based physical activity (PA) on academic performance in children and adolescents was inconsistent, especially in high school students who face a high academic burden. In this study, we tested the efficacy of a strengthened physical education (PE) program on academic outcomes in Shanghai. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was conducted to investigate the effect of strengthened PE on academic scores by calculating the grade-cohort difference before and after the intervention. PE curriculum switched from traditional short duration (40 minutes) general fitness training to long duration (90 minutes) specialized sports (e.g., football, aerobics). A total of 460 high school students (236 pre-intervention and 224 post-intervention) were enrolled in grade 10 and followed for two and three semesters. The academic outcome was assessed by district-standardized test scores. A difference-in-difference approach was employed. Results: After two semesters, the standardized Chinese language scores and English language scores for the post intervention group were increased by 0.61 SD (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44, 0.78, p < 0.001) and 0.28 SD (95% CI: 0.09, 0.47, p = 0.01). However, the standardized math scores for the post intervention group were decreased in girls. After three semesters, standardized Chinese language scores for the post intervention group were increased by 0.27 SD (95% CI: 0.06, 0.48, p = 0.01). Math scores and English language scores decreased by 0.18 SD (95% CI: −0.36, −0.01, p = 0.04) and 0.23 SD (95% CI: −0.38, −0.09, p = 0.00), respectively. Conclusion: A school-based physical education program had mixed effects on academic scores in high school students.

scholarly journals Targeting cervical cancer campaigns on teenage high schoolers in resource-limited economies: lessons from an intervention study of Nigerian senior secondary school girls

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 600-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris O Ifediora ◽  
Emmanuel C Azuike
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Cancer Education ◽  
Cancer Knowledge ◽  
School Students ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
School Girls ◽  
Chi Square Analysis ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Given the dearth of government-sponsored programmes, preventive lifestyles and practices are the realistic hopes for millions of women in developing countries against cervical cancer. Early interventions for teenage high school girls have been advocated recently, but evidence-base for sustainable activities at this demographic is lacking. This article reduces this gap by determining the impact of two cervical cancer education techniques. Method This is a 6-month interventional cohort study of 432 female high school students in South-eastern Nigeria. Results A total of 317 (73.4%) and 301 (69.7%) valid responses were received from the pre-intervention (16.8 ± 1.5 years) and post-intervention (17.2 ± 1.6 years) surveys, respectively. About 213 (70.8%) were fully engaged with the interventions. Logistic regression revealed that participants who were ‘engaged’ with the interventions, either through symposium attendance or by reading of the printed handouts, showed significant improvements across multiple cervical cancer parameters regarding knowledge on ‘pap smears’ (analysed with four items), ‘HPV vaccine’ (two items) and ‘risk factors’ (two items). Improvements in Knowledge of ‘early symptoms’ were not improved, with ‘post-coital bleeding’ [odds ratio (OR) = 0.95; P = 0.87] and ‘being asymptomatic’ (OR = 0.69; P = 0.32) remaining statistically similar between the engaged and the unengaged. If ‘engagement’ with either intervention was disregarded, a chi-square analysis identified no significant improvement in knowledge on any parameter. Conclusion Ensuring ‘engagement’ with intervention campaigns is vital to achieving effective and sustainable cervical cancer knowledge. Engagement may be achieved by repeating the education activities across all the years/classes that make up high school in each developing country, along with formal examinations at each level.

Evaluation of an Anxiety-prevention and Positive-coping Program (FRIENDS) for Children and Adolescents of Non-English-speaking Background

2001 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula M. Barrett ◽  
Robi Sonderegger ◽  
Noleen L. Sonderegger
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Waiting List ◽  
School Level ◽  
School Students ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Anxiety Prevention ◽  
Positive Coping ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
And Coping

AbstractThis study aimed to (a) appraise the efficacy of a well validated Anglo-Australian anxiety-prevention and stress-resiliency program (FRIENDS) for use with culturally diverse migrant groups residing in Australia, (b) examine the social validity of FRIENDS, and (c) obtain information from both participants and facilitators regarding how the program can best be modified for specific use with non-English-speaking background (NESB) clients. To test the efficacy of the intervention, pre- and post-intervention evaluation of internalising symptoms and coping ability were compared with waiting-list control groups (matched according to ethnic group, gender, and school level). One hundred and six primary and ninety-eight high school students differentiated by cultural origin (former-Yugoslavian, Chinese, and mixed-ethnic) and school level (primary and high school), completed standardised measures of internalising symptoms and were allocated to either an intervention (n = 121) or a waiting-list (n = 83) condition. Both groups were readministered the assessment package for comparison following a 10-week treatment or waiting period. Consistent with a recent pilot study, pre/post-assessment indicated that participants in the intervention condition exhibited lower anxiety and a more positive future outlook than waiting-list participants. Participating students reported to be highly satisfied with the intervention. Despite the overall success of FRIENDS, the program may be enhanced by culturally sensitive supplements so that the program is more applicable for use with NESB participants. Suggestions for treatment program modifications of FRIENDS are discussed.

scholarly journals Jamaican high school students satisfaction during the COVID-19 lockdown

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Golding ◽  
Camille Althea Jackson
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
School Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Students Satisfaction

Purpose Amid the worldwide lockdown and emergency transition to online classes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper aims to examine high school students’ satisfaction in this unique learning environment. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was first used to extract a set of important factors from a number of variables. A logistic regression was subsequently used to access student satisfaction levels during the COVID-19 lockdown. In addition, a small qualitative study was conducted to gain additional insight into student satisfaction ratings. Findings A study sample of 486 usable responses revealed that students were most satisfied with the responsiveness of teaching staff, which included the provision of assignments and feedback on performance. The study also revealed that students experienced a range of emotions; those who experienced positive emotions (joy, pride, hope) were more satisfied than those who experienced negative emotions (frustration, anxiety, boredom). Research limitations/implications Policymakers and educators in high schools could benefit from these findings when formulating policy recommendations to support the manning of operations during crisis situations and justify the introduction of future offerings of blended or online courses. Originality/value The study was conducted in a real and unprecedented crisis which created a unique environment to examine factors influencing Jamaican high school students’ satisfaction levels during the lockdown.

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