Individual and Collective Positive Health Behaviors and Academic Achievement Among U.S. High School Students, Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2017

Purpose We examined associations between academic grades and positive health behaviors, individually and collectively, among U.S. high school students. Design Cross-sectional study design. Setting: Data were from the 2017 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Response rates were 75% for schools, 81% for students, and 60% overall (n = 14,765 students). Subjects Youth in grades 9th–12th. Measures We focused on youth behaviors that can prevent or delay the onset of chronic health conditions. Seven dietary, 3 physical activity, 2 sedentary screen time, and 4 tobacco product use behaviors were assessed. Variables were dichotomized (0/1) to indicate that a score was given to the positive health behavior response (e.g.,, did not smoke cigarettes = 1). A composite score was created by summing each positive health behavior response among 16 total health behaviors. Analysis Multivariable logistic regression analyses for each individual health behavior, and a multivariable negative binomial regression for the composite score, were conducted with self-reported academic grades, controlling for sex, grade in school, race/ethnicity, and body mass index (BMI) categories. Results Controlling for covariates, students who reported mostly A’s had 2.0 ( P < .001) more positive health behaviors; students who reported mostly B’s had 1.3 ( P < .001) more positive health behaviors; and students who reported mostly C’s had .78 ( P < .001) more positive health behaviors, compared to students who reported mostly D’s/F’s. Conclusions Higher academic grades are associated with more positive individual and cumulative health behaviors among high school students. Understanding these relationships can help inform efforts to create a healthy and supportive school environment and strive for health equity.

Behavioral and Psychosocial Context of Pharmaceutical Cognitive Enhancers` Misuse

Background In an effort for better memory, greater motivation and concentration, otherwise healthy individuals use Pharmaceutical Cognitive Enhancers (PCE), medicines for the treatment of cognitive deficits of patients with various disorders and health problems, to achieve greater productivity, efficiency, and performance. Methods In our study, we examined the use of PCE use among 289 students at the Slovenian Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the behavioral and psychosocial context (students’ attitudes towards study, parents, health, leisure time and work). Furthermore, we addressed also the immediate reasons, or the hypothesized connections of behavioral and psychosocial aspects, related to PCE misuse. The study consisted of a structured questionnaire, and the chi-square tests were used. Results An analysis of student statements revealed differences in students` and parents` attitudes toward good academic grades. In addition, students chose among 17 values relating to relationships with parents, friends, partners, careers, study obligations, leisure, hobbies, material goods, appearance and the future, and assessed their importance. Regardless of the group they belonged to, young people cited the same values among the most important. Good grades and parental opinions have proven to be key factors in the context of PCE abuse. Conclusions This research was the first study to examine the relation between PCE misuse and the role of different behavioral and psychosocial factors. However, the further research is needed, both on the actual effects of PCE on healthy people, as well as on continuing research towards behavioral and psychosocial factors.

Exploring the links between Physics and Astronomy education teaching and learning in the Philippines

Students consider physics to be one of the most prevalent and troublesome topics since they find physics to be a challenging course in high school and become more deceptive when they have it as an undergraduate course. The Rizal Technological University (RTU) in the Philippines offers undergraduate and graduate academic programs in astronomy. The university utilizes physics diagnostic tests to classify students’ suitability towards the course as RTU houses the Philippines’ most advanced optical telescopes and the Center for Astronomy Research and Development. The latter was established through the Department of Science and Technology to promote a research hub in the field of astronomy and space science, as well as providing support for research funding and scholarships. The study performed causal-comparative research design and correlational analytics toward students’ attitude and motivation, study habits, learning styles, professor factors, social factors, and academic grades in physics and astronomy. The study explored the links between physics and astronomy and revealed their faith in their study habits in both astronomy and physics. The findings of this study provide evidence of the link of physics and astronomy education in students’ academic programs and its value from the previous learnings of students and teaching of teachers as a critical role in predicting student performance. The increased enrolment in the academic program demonstrates the validity of the above-mentioned statements, as it enticed students to pursue astronomy as their scientific career. Other efforts are discussed in detail in this paper.

Content Analysis of Developed Science Textbooks (Collins) for the Tenth Grade in Jordan in View of the Constructivism Theory : تحليل محتوى كتب العلوم المطورة (كولينز) للصف العاشر الأساسي في الأردن في ضوء مبادئ النظرية البنائية

The study aimed to analyze the content of developed science textbooks (Collins) for the tenth grade in Jordan: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Geology and Environment. the study has used the analytical descriptive approach, for achieving the objective of the study the researcher has made a content analysis tool of the principles of constructivism theory that include the following five principles: Prior Knowledge, Knowledge Building, Change of Knowledge Structure, Confronting Situation, and Social Negotiation. The results that the percentage of the principles of the constructivism theory are as follows: Physics textbook (28.57%), Geology and Environment textbook (25.21%), Biology textbook (24.28%), and Chemistry textbook (21.84%). And the study recommended conducting more studies to identify the principles of the constructivism theory in textbooks and other academic grades.

Parental Burnout Reduces Primary Students' Academic Outcomes: A Multi-Mediator Model of Mindful Parenting and Parental Behavioral Control

Academic outcomes have long been one of the important issues of childhood research, which has a strong influence on the overall development of children. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between parental burnout and academic outcomes and the mediating role of parental behavioral control, and mindful parenting. The participants included 786 Vietnamese primary school students ( Mage = 9,980, SD = 0.889) and their parents. Parents completed questionnaires about demographic information, parental burnout, behavioral control, and mindful parenting. The student's academic grades are reported by the school office where the student is enrolled. The results support three main findings: (a) parental burnout has a direct influence on student's academic outcomes, (b) the mediating role of parental behavioral control was significant, and (c) the mediating role of mindful parenting was also significant. Practical implications of these findings highlight how parent's mental health status and parenting practices influence academic outcomes.

Independent and combined associations between multiple lifestyle behaviours and academic grades of inner urban and peri-urban high school students: a cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China

ObjectivesThis study aims to assess the independent and combined associations between multiple lifestyle behaviours and academic grades of inner urban high school students (IUHSSs) and peri-urban high school students (PUHSSs).DesignA cross-sectional study was conducted.ParticipantsThere are 1481 high school students (49.9% boys) in this study, who were enrolled from one inner urban and two peri-urban schools in Chongqing, China.Outcome measuresAcademic grades were assessed based on the students’ self-reported grade ranking in the last cumulative examination.ResultsIn IUHSSs and PUHSSs, high frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was unlikely to obtain high academic grades (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.99 and 0.63, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.96), respectively). Among IUHSSs, meeting the recommendations for weekday screen time and egg consumption (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.34 and 1.60, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.47, respectively) and high frequency of fruit consumption (1.67, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.50) were significantly associated with high academic grades; meeting the recommendation for weekday sleep duration was unlikely to obtain high academic grades (0.46, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.98). Among PUHSSs, meeting the recommendations for weekend sleep duration (1.40, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.93) and eating dinner regularly (1.55, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.37) had significant associations with high academic grades. No significant associations were found between physical activity and academic grades in both IUHSSs and PUHSSs (p>0.05). Moreover, IUHSSs with 9–13 healthy lifestyle behaviours were 3.25 times more likely to achieve high academic grades than IUHSSs with 1–6 healthy lifestyle behaviours (3.25, 95% CI 1.96 to 5.40). No significant associations were found in the combined associations between multiple lifestyle behaviours and academic grades among PUHSSs (p>0.05).ConclusionsCorrelations were observed between lifestyle behaviours and academic grades among high school students, and cumulative associations between multiple healthy lifestyle behaviours and academic outcomes appear to be stronger than the independent associations. These findings are particularly applicable to IUHSSs.

Prevalence Of Cybersex in India

Internet has become a part of our lives. Two-thirds of adult men and one third of females use internet in India. In that, 12% of websites are pornographic, 30% of net traffic is sex-related, 35% of downloads are of pornographic material. In India, 72% of adult males and 28% of adult women viewed pornography. One-third of people accessed the net for porn while in office or in school/college. In a study done on college students in a small town in South India, 84.2% view porn on a daily basis, one-half felt that they use porn more than they intended to see and were awake late at night; two-thirds felt that their academic grades dropped. On a multicity sex survey in South India on college students—69% watch, sex videos 6 hours a week; 24% of girls feel porn is harmless; 30% of students had sex relations with lovers, and 12% of girls became pregnant. In an objective assessment of porn consumption in medical students in Central India, 14 % of boys and 8% of girls were found to have the potential to become internet sex addicts. Cybersex addiction is six times more in men than in women. In the self-claimed hypersexual people, porn consumption was 6 times higher, total sexual outlets per week was three times higher, total sexual partners was double when compared with non-hypersexual people.

Development and Validation of Teacher Made Science Workbook of Grade 8 Students in the Philippines

Science teaching in the 21st century society is a challenge but with the aid of effective and appropriate instructional materials, student learning is enhanced. This descriptive research sought to test and validate the teacher-made Science workbook in Grade 8. A conceptual test in Science was used to assess the level of proficiency of students and served as the basis for the development of the instructional material. Meanwhile, a researcher-made evaluation tool was used to assess the developed material’s usefulness. Results revealed that the students’ performance in Science before the use of the teacher-made workbook is Fairly Satisfactory based on the pretest mean. Meanwhile, their performance in Science after the use of the teacher-made workbook is Very Satisfactory based on the post-test mean. The study concludes that there is a significant difference in the students’ performance in Science before and after the use of the teacher-made Science workbook. Likewise, there is a low positive significant relationship between the second quarter academic grades and pretest scores and a negligible negative significant relationship between the third quarter academic grades and post-test scores. The study recommends that performance tasks, written works, and quarterly exam, may be considered as variables of academic performance in further investigation. The developed workbook can be used by Grade 8 Science teachers to enhance students’ performance in the subject and can be a good tool in developing students’ scientific literacy. The teacher-made Grade 8 Science workbook can also be used by teachers as a supplementary material in the K to 12 Curriculum.

Reviewing the psychological resilience levels of the students studying at the faculty of sports sciences in terms of different variables

Background: Resilience is a key psychological aspect of sport. Aim: The purpose of this study was to review the psychological resilience levels of the students studying at faculty of sports sciences in terms of different variables. Methods: The study was designed in general survey model. The study population was consisted of 670 participants who attended Mus Alparslan University Faculty of Sports Sciences whereas the study sample was consisted of 398 participants. Besides; 162 of the participants were female (x̄age=21.3±1.9) and 236 were male (x̄age=22.4±3.2). In the study; “Brief Psychological Resilience Scale” –developed by Smith et al., (2008) and adapted to Turkish by Dogan (2015)- was employed as data collection tool. To analyze the data; such descriptive statistical methods as t-Test and One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used. Results: It was identified that participants’ psychological resilience scale scores differed statistically and significantly on behalf of male participants according to gender variable (p<0.05). Conclusion: In sum; participants’ psychological resilience levels did not differ in terms of the variables of age, academic department, general average academic grades, mother’s educational status, father’s educational status and grade (class) but it differed on behalf of male participants according to gender variable. Keywords: Physical education, psychological resilience, sports.