Bettina Pikó

Depressive Symptomatology, Exposure to Violence, and the Role of Social Capital Among African American Adolescents

Focusing on the role of capital as both personal and social resources for adolescents, the authors examined depressive symptomatology among a sample of 10- to 18-year-old African American youths (N=1,538). In addition to gender and age differences, adolescents exposed to threatening environments (school, neighborhood, home) reported more depressive symptoms. Social capital had a significant inverse relationship with adolescent depression; self-esteem and a social capital index were negatively related to depressive symptomatology. Furthermore, the interaction effects of gender with social capital, age with self-esteem, and age with grades were significant, indicating the presence of a buffering effect. These findings suggest the importance of interrelationships among violence exposure, capital, and well-being for adolescents.

GENDER DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES IN ADOLESCENTS' WAYS OF COPING

Various factors have an influence on which coping strategies are mobilized under specific circumstances, among others, age and gender. The present paper focuses on the interrelationships between the ways of coping and some health-related variables in adolescence. Data were collected among secondary school students (n = 1039) in Szeged, Hungary. Factor analysis of the shortened and adapted version of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire gave a four-factor solution: passive coping, problem-analyzing coping, risky coping, and support-seeking coping. Passive and support-seeking ways of coping were more common among girls, however, this latter way of coping proved to be a more significant correlate of psychosocial health among boys. Both among boys and girls, passive and risky coping factors played a negative role, and problem-analyzing and support-seeking coping factors played a positive role in psychosocial health. Findings suggest that maladaptive coping and psychosocial health problems might form a vicious circle in which risk-taking as a way of coping might play a central role in adolescence. When adolescents dispair of their problems, they often use drugs, smoke, or drink alcohol. They perceive it, however, rather as a form of risk-taking or sensation-seeking than a way of coping. That is why they do not reckon with its harmfulness and future consequences.

SELF-REGULATORY COGNITIONS, SOCIAL COMPARISON, AND PERCEIVED PEERS BEHAVIORS AS PREDICTORS OF NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: A COMPARISON AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN HUNGARY, POLAND, TURKEY, AND USA

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.

Meaning in Life: Is It a Protective Factor for Adolescents’ Psychological Health?

BackgroundSearching for a coherent meaning in life has long been proposed to be a protective factor in adolescent development.PurposeThe 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.MethodData 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.ResultsMeaning 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.ConclusionIn Romanian adolescents, meaning in life is a protective factor against health risk behaviors and poor psychological health.

Self-perceived health among adolescents: the role of gender and psychosocial factors

Since adolescents’ psychosocial health problems may have major implications for adult morbidity and mortality, investigating their self-perceived health deserves priority. In the lack of limiting illness, psychosocial health variables, e.g., psychosomatic health complaints or health behaviors, play a decisive role in determining adolescents’ self-perceived health. Using data on adolescents from Szeged, Hungary (n = 1,114), we examined the relationship between adolescents’ self-perceived health and a set of psychosocial health status measurements. Findings show that psychosomatic and depressive symptoms contributed significantly to adolescents’ poor/fair perceptions of health. Findings also support the relationship between health behaviors and adolescents’ self-perceived health. Among boys, drug use and the lack of physical activity are significant predictors. Among girls, smoking may act in a similar way. Diet control is significant in both cases. Besides academic achievement, SES self-assessment and non-intact family status are strong contributes to health perception. Overall, findings show that psychosocial health variables are important influences on adolescents’ self-perceived health.

Depressive symptomatology among Hungarian youth: A risk and protective factors approach

Psychosocial risk and protective factors were examined to assess their influence on depressive symptomatology in a sample of Hungarian youth. Self-esteem and being happy with school were significant protective factors; older girls (ages 16-20) reported the highest depression scores, and these scores varied significantly by self-reported problem behavior. These findings are discussed in the context of their clinical and practical implications for understanding depressive symptomatology in this understudied population of Eastern European youth.

Satisfaction with Life, Psychosocial Health and Materialism among Hungarian Youth:

Previous research suggests that youth’s life satisfaction may be influenced by health and certain socioeconomic/sociocultural factors, which may be important in a post-socialist country like Hungary. We investigated the relationship between youth’s life satisfaction, materialism and their psychosocial health in a sample of secondary school students (N = 1114) in Hungary. Findings show that youth’s psychosocial health may play an important role in their levels of life satisfaction, particularly depressive and psychosomatic symptoms and health behaviors (e.g. diet control and smoking). SES self-assessment and materialistic success were positively, while materialistic happiness was negatively related to youth’s life satisfaction.

A risk and protective factors framework for understanding youth's externalizing problem behavior in two different cultural settings

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. 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. 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. 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.

Existential attitudes and Eastern European adolescents' problem and health behaviors: highlighting the role of the search for meaning in life

Although the role of existential attitudes in adolescent health-related behavior has received increased attention recently, historically it has been underinvestigated in the field. The present study focuses on existential attitudes related to meaning in life and hopelessness. Relations of presence of meaning, search for meaning, and hopelessness with past and anticipated future involvement in problem- and health-enhancing behaviors were examined in a cross-sectional study of Eastern European (Transylvania, Romania) adolescents (N = 426, 42.1% males; M age = 16.5 year, range 15–18 years). Results indicated that these existential variables were significantly related to higher levels of healthy behaviors and lower levels of problem behaviors (hopelessness inversely). Among these existential factors, the search for meaning in life was the most significant contributor factor for adolescent behavior. As an overall conclusion, results point to the significant role that the search for meaning in life may play in the relation with adolescents’ problem and health behaviors.

Does Knowledge Count? Attitudes Toward Smoking Among Medical, Nursing, and Pharmacy Students in Hungary

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. χ2-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.