Displaying publications 41 - 60 of 72 in total

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  1. Otegbayo BE, Omar N, Danaee M, Mohajer S, Aghamohamadi N
    BMC Womens Health, 2023 Jul 21;23(1):383.
    PMID: 37480050 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02520-y
    BACKGROUND: Teenage pregnancies continue to disrupt teenage girls' academic development. As a result, teenage mothers are at risk of unemployment, maternal death, and poverty. Previous research, however, has shown that both individual and environmental factors can have a significant impact on the prevalence of adolescent pregnancy. However, there has been little rigorous research on the impact of these factors on pregnant students' academic performance.

    OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between environmental (neighbourhood) and individuals (sexual attitudes, peer attachment) factors. It also examined the influence of individual factors on the academic performance of pregnant teens.

    METHODS: The study included a cross-sectional study of 400 pregnant adolescent students aged 15-19 years. The target groups were drawn from three major cities in Nigeria. Respondents were identified through targeted snowballing. Pregnant participants were a combination of married and unmarried girls attending school from home. Data were collected using a structured and self-completed questionnaire. Thus, frequency, mean and standard deviation were used for descriptive analysis. Pearson correlation analysis was applied to show the relationship between variables.

    RESULTS: The study found that neighbourhood (r=-.125, p = .12) had a negative and significant relationship with peer attachment. However, there was no significant evidence of a relationship between sexual attitudes and neighbourhood (r=-.040, p = .422). There was, however, a significant relationship between sexual attitudes and academic performance (r = .236, p = .000). There was also a relationship between peer attachment and academic performance (r=-.401, p = peer education, school day-care, subsidised or free contraceptives, free or subsidized education, and community programmes that positively influence young adults in the neighbourhood. These approaches can indirectly boost self-efficacy, motivation, and confidence to achieve higher academic feat, while reducing school dropout rate among the target groups.

    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  2. Lumbiganon P, Martis R, Laopaiboon M, Festin MR, Ho JJ, Hakimi M
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2016 Dec 06;12(12):CD006425.
    PMID: 27922724 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006425.pub4
    BACKGROUND: Breast milk is well recognised as the best food source for infants. The impact of antenatal breastfeeding (BF) education on the duration of BF has not been evaluated.

    OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of antenatal breastfeeding (BF) education for increasing BF initiation and duration.

    SEARCH METHODS: We searched Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth's Trials Register on 1 March 2016, CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library, 2016, Issue 3), MEDLINE (1966 to 1 March 2016) and Scopus (January 1985 to 1 March 2016). We contacted experts and searched reference lists of retrieved articles.

    SELECTION CRITERIA: All identified published, unpublished and ongoing randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of formal antenatal BF education or comparing two different methods of formal antenatal BF education, on the duration of BF. We included RCTs that only included antenatal interventions and excluded those that combined antenatal and intrapartum or postpartum BF education components. Cluster-randomised trials were included in this review. Quasi-randomised trials were not eligible for inclusion.

    DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We assessed all potential studies identified as a result of the search strategy. Two review authors extracted data from each included study using the agreed form and assessed risk of bias. We resolved discrepancies through discussion. We assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach.

    MAIN RESULTS: This review update includes 24 studies (10,056 women). Twenty studies (9789 women) contribute data to analyses. Most studies took place in high-income countries such as the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. In the first five comparisons, we display the included trials according to type of intervention without pooling data. For the 'Summary of findings' we pooled data for a summary effect.Five included studies were cluster-randomised trials: all of these adjusted data and reported adjustments as odds ratios (OR). We have analysed the data using the generic inverse variance method and presented results as odds ratios, because we were unable to derive a cluster-adjusted risk ratio from the published cluster-trial. We acknowledge that the use of odds ratio prevents the pooling of these cluster trials in our main analyses. One method of BF education with standard (routine) careThere were no group differences for duration of any BF in days or weeks. There was no evidence that interventions improved the proportion of women with any BF or exclusive BF at three or six months. Single trials of different interventions were unable to show that education improved initiation of BF, apart from one small trial at high risk of attrition bias. Many trial results marginally favoured the intervention but had wide confidence intervals crossing the line of no effect. BF complications such as mastitis and other BF problems were similar in treatment arms in single trials reporting these outcomes. Multiple methods of BF education versus standard careFor all trials included in this comparison we have presented the cluster-adjusted odds ratios as reported in trial publications. One three-arm study found the intervention of BF booklet plus video plus Lactation Consultant versus standard care improved the proportion of women exclusively BF at three months (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.25 to 5.40; women = 159) and marginally at six months (OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.00 to 5.76; women = 175). For the same trial, an intervention arm without a lactation consultant but with the BF booklet and video did not have the same effect on proportion of women exclusively BF at three months (OR 1.80, 95% CI 0.80 to 4.05; women = 159) or six months (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.30 to 2.70; women = 184). One study compared monthly BF sessions and weekly cell phone message versus standard care and reported improvements in the proportion of women exclusively BF at both three and six months (three months OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.95; women = 390; six months OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.40 to 4.11; women = 390). One study found monthly BF sessions and weekly cell phone messages improved initiation of BF over standard care (OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.61 to 4.24; women = 380). BF education session versus standard care, pooled analyses for 'Summary of findings' (SoF)This comparison does not include cluster-randomised trials reporting adjusted odds ratios. We did not downgrade any evidence for trials' lack of blinding; no trial had adequate blinding of staff and participants. The SoF table presents risk ratios for all outcomes analysed. For proportion of women exclusively BF there is no evidence that antenatal BF education improved BF at three months (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.25; women = 822; studies = 3; moderate quality evidence) or at six months (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.30; women = 2161; studies = 4; moderate quality evidence). For proportion of women with any BF there were no group differences in BF at three (average RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.18; women = 654; studies = 2; I² = 60%; low-quality evidence) or six months (average RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.23; women = 1636; studies = 4; I² = 61%; high-quality evidence). There was no evidence that antenatal BF education could improve initiation of BF (average RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.09; women = 3505; studies = 8; I² = 69%; high-quality evidence). Where we downgraded evidence this was due to small sample size or wide confidence intervals crossing the line of no effect, or both.There was insufficient data for subgroup analysis of mother's occupation or education.

    AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There was no conclusive evidence supporting any antenatal BF education for improving initiation of BF, proportion of women giving any BF or exclusively BF at three or six months or the duration of BF. There is an urgent need to conduct a high-quality, randomised controlled study to evaluate the effectiveness and adverse effects of antenatal BF education, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Evidence in this review is primarily relevant to high-income settings.

    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  3. Guilding C, Pye RE, Butler S, Atkinson M, Field E
    Pharmacol Res Perspect, 2021 Aug;9(4):e00833.
    PMID: 34309243 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.833
    Multiple choice questions (MCQs) are a common form of assessment in medical schools and students seek opportunities to engage with formative assessment that reflects their summative exams. Formative assessment with feedback and active learning strategies improve student learning outcomes, but a challenge for educators, particularly those with large class sizes, is how to provide students with such opportunities without overburdening faculty. To address this, we enrolled medical students in the online learning platform PeerWise, which enables students to author and answer MCQs, rate the quality of other students' contributions as well as discuss content. A quasi-experimental mixed methods research design was used to explore PeerWise use and its impact on the learning experience and exam results of fourth year medical students who were studying courses in clinical sciences and pharmacology. Most students chose to engage with PeerWise following its introduction as a noncompulsory learning opportunity. While students perceived benefits in authoring and peer discussion, students engaged most highly with answering questions, noting that this helped them identify gaps in knowledge, test their learning and improve exam technique. Detailed analysis of the 2015 cohort (n = 444) with hierarchical regression models revealed a significant positive predictive relationship between answering PeerWise questions and exam results, even after controlling for previous academic performance, which was further confirmed with a follow-up multi-year analysis (2015-2018, n = 1693). These 4 years of quantitative data corroborated students' belief in the benefit of answering peer-authored questions for learning.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  4. Su TT, Majid HA, Nahar AM, Azizan NA, Hairi FM, Thangiah N, et al.
    BMC Public Health, 2014;14 Suppl 3:S4.
    PMID: 25436830 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-S3-S4
    Death rates due to hypertension in low and middle income countries are higher compared to high income countries. The present study is designed to combine life style modification and home blood pressure monitoring for control of hypertension in the context of low and middle income countries.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group*
  5. Jeganathan PD, Hairi NN, Al Sadat N, Chinna K
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2013;14(6):3483-9.
    PMID: 23886133
    BACKGROUND: To identify the prevalence of different stages of smoking and differences in associated risk factors.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thos longitudinal study started in February 2011 and the subjects were 2552 form one students aged between twelve to thirteen years of from 15 government secondary schools of Kinta, Perak. Data on demographic, parental, school and peer factors were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. We examined the effects of peer, school and parental factors on the five stages of smoking; never smokers, susceptible never smokers, experimenters, current smokers and ex-smokers, at baseline.

    RESULTS: In the sample, 19.3% were susceptible never smokers, 5.5% were current smokers 6% were experimenters and 3.1% were ex-smokers. Gender, ethnicity, best friends' smoking status, high peer pressure, higher number of relatives who smoked and parental monitoring were found to be associated with smoking stages. Presence of parent-teen conflict was only associated with susceptible never smokers and experimenters whereas absence of home discussion on smoking hazards was associated with susceptible never smokers and current smokers.

    CONCLUSIONS: We identified variations in the factors associated with the different stages of smoking. Our results highlight that anti-smoking strategies should be tailored according to the different smoking stages.

    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group*
  6. Ibrahim N, Rampal L, Jamil Z, Zain AM
    Prev Med, 2012 Nov;55(5):505-10.
    PMID: 22982947 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.09.003
    OBJECTIVE: Develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a peer-led education program related to HIV/AIDS among university students.
    METHOD:
    DESIGN: randomized controlled trial with 276 university students at Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang in 2011.
    INTERVENTION: A peer-led education program on HIV prevention by university students.
    OUTCOME: differences in knowledge, attitude and risk behavior practices related to HIV between baselines, immediate follow-up after intervention and after three months.
    RESULTS: Significant improvement in sound knowledge in the intervention group as compared to the control group (Odds ratio, 1.75; 95% CI 1.01, 3.00; p=0.04) and improvement in good attitude related to HIV (Odds ratio 2.22; 95% CI 1.37, 3.61; p=0.01). The odds of high substance risk behavior was significantly reduced in the intervention group as compared to the control group (Odds ratio 0.07; 95% CI 0.02, 0.34; p=0.01). The association between good knowledge and intervention was modified by the different time points (baseline, immediately after intervention and 3 months after intervention), ethnicity and gender.
    CONCLUSION:
    Peer-led education program in HIV prevention improves knowledge, attitude and substance risk behavior. Changes in sexual risk behavior may require a longer follow-up.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group*
  7. Abdul Samad S, Hairi NN, Ismail M
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2016 05;28(4):313-24.
    PMID: 27122624 DOI: 10.1177/1010539516645158
    This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and the factors associated with sexual initiation among the late adolescents in 6 institutions of higher learning in Malaysia. A total of 1572 students completed self-administered questionnaires between April and September 2013. Hierarchical multivariate logistic regression analyses stratified by gender were employed to identify the correlates of sexual initiation. The analyses were further adjusted by sampling weights. The overall prevalence of sexual initiation was 9.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.3-11.6), 18.1% (95% CI = 15.1-21.5) among males, and 4.1% (95% CI = 2.9-5.9) among females. The risk factors identified in this study supported the influence of the individual, family, and peer factors in the social-ecological model on adolescents' behaviors. The findings suggest the need for risk-reduction strategies aimed at the individual, family, and peer levels as well as the importance of gender-specific focus in assuring better outcomes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group*
  8. Abdulrahman SA, Rampal L, Ibrahim F, Radhakrishnan AP, Kadir Shahar H, Othman N
    PLoS One, 2017;12(5):e0177698.
    PMID: 28520768 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177698
    BACKGROUND: Adherence to treatment remains the cornerstone of long term viral suppression and successful treatment outcomes among patients receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).

    OBJECTIVE(S): Evaluate the effectiveness of mobile phone reminders and peer counseling in improving adherence and treatment outcomes among HIV positive patients on ART in Malaysia.

    METHODS: A single-blind, parallel group RCT conducted in Hospital Sungai Buloh, Malaysia in which 242 adult Malaysian patients were randomized to intervention or control groups. Intervention consisted of a reminder module delivered through SMS and telephone call reminders by trained research assistants for 24 consecutive weeks (starting from date of ART initiation), in addition to adherence counseling at every clinic visit. The length of intended follow up for each patient was 6 months. Data on adherence behavior of patients was collected using specialized, pre-validated Adult AIDS Clinical Trial Group (AACTG) adherence questionnaires. Data on weight, clinical symptoms, CD4 count and viral load tests were also collected. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22 and R software. Repeated measures ANOVA, Friedman's ANOVA and Multivariate regression models were used to evaluate efficacy of the intervention.

    RESULTS: The response rate after 6 months follow up was 93%. There were no significant differences at baseline in gender, employment status, income distribution and residential location of respondents between the intervention and control group. After 6 months follow up, the mean adherence was significantly higher in the intervention group (95.7; 95% CI: 94.39-96.97) as compared to the control group (87.5; 95% CI: 86.14-88.81). The proportion of respondents who had Good (>95%) adherence was significantly higher in the intervention group (92.2%) compared to the control group (54.6%). A significantly lower frequency in missed appointments (14.0% vs 35.5%) (p = 0.001), lower viral load (p = 0.001), higher rise in CD4 count (p = 0.017), lower incidence of tuberculosis (p = 0.001) and OIs (p = 0.001) at 6 months follow up, was observed among patients in the intervention group.

    CONCLUSION: Mobile phone reminders (SMS and telephone call reminders) and peer counseling are effective in improving adherence and treatment outcomes among HIV positive patients on ART in Malaysia. These findings may be of potential benefit for collaborative adherence planning between patients and health care providers at ART commencement.

    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group*
  9. Zelenev A, Long E, Bazazi AR, Kamarulzaman A, Altice FL
    Int J Drug Policy, 2016 11;37:98-106.
    PMID: 27639995 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.08.008
    BACKGROUND: HIV is primarily concentrated among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Malaysia, where currently HIV prevention and treatment coverage is inadequate. To improve the targeting of interventions, we examined HIV clustering and the role that social networks and geographical distance play in influencing HIV transmission among PWID.

    METHODS: Data were derived from a respondent-driven survey sample (RDS) collected during 2010 of 460 PWID in greater Kuala Lumpur. Analysis focused on socio-demographic, clinical, behavioural, and network information. Spatial probit models were developed based on a distinction between the influence of peers (individuals nominated through a recruitment network) and neighbours (residing a close distance to the individual). The models were expanded to account for the potential influence of the network formation.

    RESULTS: Recruitment patterns of HIV-infected PWID clustered both spatially and across the recruitment networks. In addition, HIV-infected PWID were more likely to have peers and neighbours who inject with clean needles were HIV-infected and lived nearby (<5km), more likely to have been previously incarcerated, less likely to use clean needles (26.8% vs 53.0% of the reported injections, p<0.01), and have fewer recent injection partners (2.4 vs 5.4, p<0.01). The association between the HIV status of peers and neighbours remained significantly correlated even after controlling for unobserved variation related to network formation and sero-sorting.

    CONCLUSION: The relationship between HIV status across networks and space in Kuala Lumpur underscores the importance of these factors for surveillance and prevention strategies, and this needs to be more closely integrated. RDS can be applied to identify injection network structures, and this provides an important mechanism for improving public health surveillance, accessing high-risk populations, and implementing risk-reduction interventions to slow HIV transmission.

    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group*
  10. Gribble KD
    Breastfeed Rev, 2014 Mar;22(1):11-21.
    PMID: 24804519
    The process by which women came to use internet-facilitated peer-to-peer shared milk was explored via a written questionnaire administered to 41 peer milk recipients from five countries. Respondents were universally unable to provide some or all of the milk their infants required. Twenty-nine dyads had a medical condition that could have affected their ability to breastfeed. Many respondents had had great difficulty in finding health workers who could assist them with their breastfeeding challenges. Before obtaining peer-shared milk, respondents had tried to increase their own milk supply, used infant formula or sought donor milk from personal contacts. Health workers dealing with breastfeeding women require greater training in the recognition and treatment of conditions that adversely affect breastfeeding including a physiological incapacity to fully breastfeed. Peer-to-peer milk recipients appear to be very satisfied with the solution milk sharing provides to their problem of being unable to fully breastfeed their infants.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  11. Rahman MM, Ahmad SA, Karim MJ, Chia HA
    J Community Health, 2011 Oct;36(5):831-8.
    PMID: 21359500 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-011-9382-6
    Despite established country's tobacco control law, cigarette smoking by the young people and the magnitude of nicotine dependence among the students is alarming in Bangladesh. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of smoking and factors influencing it among the secondary school students. A two-stage cluster sampling was used for selection of schools with probability proportional to enrollment size followed by stratified random sampling of government and private schools. The 70-item questionnaire included 'core GYTS' (Global Youth Tobacco Survey) and other additional questions were used to collect relevant information. Analysis showed that the prevalence of smoking was 12.3% among boys and 4.5% among girls, respectively. The mean age at initiation of smoking was 10.8 years with standard deviation of 2.7 years. Logistic regression analysis revealed that boys are 2.282 times likely to smoked than girls and it was 1.786 times higher among the students aged 16 years and above than their younger counterparts. Smoking by teachers appeared to be the strong predictor for students smoking behaviour (OR 2.206, 95% CI: 1.576, 3.088) followed by peer influence (OR 1.988, 95% CI: 1.178, 3.356). Effective smoking prevention program should to be taken to reduce smoking behaviour. The school curricula had less impact in preventing smoking except teacher's smoking behaviour.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  12. Ang RP, Tan KA, Talib Mansor A
    J Interpers Violence, 2011 Sep;26(13):2619-34.
    PMID: 21156699 DOI: 10.1177/0886260510388286
    The current study examined normative beliefs about aggression as a mediator between narcissistic exploitativeness and cyberbullying using two Asian adolescent samples from Singapore and Malaysia. Narcissistic exploitativeness was significantly and positively associated with cyberbullying and normative beliefs about aggression and normative beliefs about aggression were significantly and positively associated with cyberbullying. Normative beliefs about aggression were a significant partial mediator in both samples; these beliefs about aggression served as one possible mechanism of action by which narcissistic exploitativeness could exert its influence on cyberbullying. Findings extended previous empirical research by showing that such beliefs can be the mechanism of action not only in offline but also in online contexts and across cultures. Cyberbullying prevention and intervention efforts should include modification of norms and beliefs supportive of the legitimacy and acceptability of cyberbullying.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  13. Al-Sadat N, Misau AY, Zarihah Z, Maznah D, Tin Tin Su
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2010 Jul;22(3 Suppl):175S-180S.
    PMID: 20566551 DOI: 10.1177/1010539510372835
    The use of tobacco by adolescents is a major public health concern worldwide. There are 1.2 billion smokers globally, of which more than 50% are young people. The Southeast Asian countries have about 600 million tobacco smokers within the global burden of tobacco users. Most smokers begin at early stage of life and persist through adulthood. Malaysia alone has about 5 million smokers, 20% of whom are younger than 18 years old. Many factors are implicated in the continuous rising trend of tobacco use among adolescents in Southeast Asia. A triad of family, environmental, and individual factors synergistically acts to motivate adolescents toward smoking. This article discusses the current trends of tobacco use and implications of increasing rise in adolescent smoking in the Southeast Asia region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  14. Dahlui M, Jahan NK, Majid HA, Jalaludin MY, Murray L, Cantwell M, et al.
    PLoS One, 2015;10(6):e0129628.
    PMID: 26068668 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129628
    Smoking among Malaysian adolescents remains a public health concern despite concerted efforts in tobacco control. The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence and determinants of current-smoking status in young adolescents. This cross sectional study used the first round of the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Research Team's prospective cohort study. It was conducted in three States of the Central and Northern regions of Peninsular Malaysia between March and May 2012. The study used the multistage stratified sampling design. A total of 1,342 adolescents of both sexes, aged 12-13 years, were sampled from randomly selected urban and rural national schools. Information on current smoking status and associated factors were collected by a self-administered, pre-tested, validated, structured questionnaire. Seven percent of the samples were current-smokers; the majority (62%) of them started smoking at the age of 11 years or below. The prevalence of current smoking was significantly higher in males (odds ratio [OR] = 2.37; 95% CI: 1.46, 3.84), those who were influenced by smoker friends (OR = 8.35; 95% CI: 4.90, 14.25), who were unaware of the health risks of smoking (OR =1.85; 95% CI: 1.02, 3.36) and who reported a lack of satisfaction about their overall life (OR =3.26; 95% CI: 1.73, 6.12). The study findings provide valuable information to strengthen the existing school-based smoking prevention program through integration of social competence and social influence curricula. The program should empower the young adolescents to refuse tobacco offers, to overcome social influences and to resist peer pressure to avoid starting smoking. Particular focuses to include mental health service to prevent both emotional and behavioural problems are needed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  15. Shagar PS, Donovan CL, Loxton N, Boddy J, Harris N
    Appetite, 2019 03 01;134:59-68.
    PMID: 30586595 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2018.12.025
    Despite growing research investigating prevalence rates of BD among Malaysian women, there has been limited research conducted in Malaysia with respect to factors contributing to its development and consequences. This study tested a subsection of the Tripartite Influence Model, investigating whether sociocultural influences (family, peers, media) lead to thin ideal internalization, which in turn lead to body dissatisfaction (BD) and subsequently restrained eating and bulimic behaviours in both Australian and Malaysian women. Participants were 421 Australian and 399 Malaysian female emerging adults aged between 18 and 25 years, (M = 20.76; SD = 2.86) who completed questionnaires assessing sociocultural influences, thin ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, restrained eating and bulimic behaviours. The model, largely supported in both cultures, had two points of difference. For Malaysian but not Australian women, family influence was significantly linked with internalization of the thin ideal. Although BD was significantly linked with restrained eating as predicted for Australian women (albeit rather weakly), it was not significantly linked with restrained eating for Malaysian women. The striking similarity of results across both cultures, suggests that Western body ideals, with their corresponding negative sequelae, have infiltrated the collectivist and developing nation of Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  16. Fatimah Ahmad Fauzi, Nor Afiah Mohd Zulkefli, Anisah Baharom
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Adolescent aggression is an important public health concern with escalating prevalence of juvenile cases and violence among these age groups including robbery, homicide, and gang fights. The objectives of this study protocol are to determine the biopsychosocial predictors and explore the contextual factors of adolescent ag- gression among secondary school students in Hulu Langat. Methods: Explanatory mixed method study design will be used, consist of quantitative cross-sectional study followed by basic qualitative study. Proportionate population sampling among Form 4 secondary school students from selected public secondary schools in Hulu Langat will be executed. Questionnaires will be distributed to 481 students on aggression as the dependent variable, and several independent variables: demographic (ethnicity, family income), biological (sex, head injury, nutritional deficiency, breakfast skipping), psychological (attitude and normative beliefs, personality trait, emotional intelligence), and so- cial factors (family environment, single parent status, domestic violence, peer deviant affiliation, alcohol, smoking, substance abuse). Subsequently, participants with moderate to high aggression scores will be further explored on the contextual factors of adolescent aggression by in-depth interview. Multiple linear regression will be executed using SPSS to determine significant predictors whereas thematic analysis will be applied for qualitative data analysis on the context of adolescent aggression. Both findings will be further integrated and discussed to give comprehensive description on the phenomena. Conclusion: Better knowledge and understanding on adolescent aggression may generate new framework to drive more effective preventive strategies and unravel adolescent aggressive related Pub- lic Health problems.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  17. Lim, K.H., Sumarni, M.G., Kee, C.C., Norhamimah, A., Wan Rozita, W.M., Amal, N.M.
    MyJurnal
    Many studies on adolescent smoking have been conducted in Malaysia, but very limited information is available on smoking amongst lower secondary school male students (Forms 1 and 2). We present data from a baseline study in Kota Tinggi District, Johor on the psychosocial factors, stages of smoking acquisition and susceptibility to smoking initiation and their relationship to adolescent smoking. The study is the first wave of a 3-year longitudinal study which was conducted from March 2007 to May 2009, aimed to describe the prevalence of smoking among students in the lower secondary classes. A three stage stratified sampling was performed to obtain a sample. The Bogus Pipeline Method was employed to confirm smoking status. Prevalence of smoking was 35.5%. Smoking prevalence among students of schools located in the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) settlement areas (42.9%) was two-fold higher than in the rural and town schools combined (20.29%). Using the Fagerstrom scale, 90% of current smokers had lower addiction to nicotine. Smoking was associated with peer smoking [OR, 4.19 (95% CI, 2.57-6.82)], having a brother smoking [2.17 (1.31-3.61)], parental smoking [1.73 (1.17-2.80)] and locality where respondents attend school [1.94(1.11-3.39)]. The study indicates that, the prevalence of smoking was high in all areas especially FELDA settlement areas. Measures such as teaching of skills to resist social pressure to smoke, establishment of peer support groups and involvement of parents in anti-smoking programs are recommended to curb the high prevalence of smoking among lower secondary school students in Kota Tinggi.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  18. van Pelt BJ, Idris S, Jagersma G, Duvekot J, Maras A, van der Ende J, et al.
    BMC Psychiatry, 2020 06 01;20(1):274.
    PMID: 32487179 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-020-02650-9
    BACKGROUND: Social skills interventions are commonly deployed for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Because effective and appropriate social skills are determined by cultural factors that differ throughout the world, the effectiveness of these interventions relies on a good cultural fit. Therefore, the ACCEPT study examines the effectiveness of the Dutch Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) social skills intervention.

    METHODS/DESIGN: This study is a two-arm parallel group randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which adolescents are randomly assigned (after baseline assessment) to one of two group interventions (PEERS® vs. active control condition). In total, 150 adolescents are to be included, with multi-informant involvement of their parents and teachers. The ACCEPT study uses an active control condition (puberty psychoeducation group training, focussing on social-emotional development) and explores possible moderators and mediators in improving social skills. The primary outcome measure is the Contextual Assessment of Social Skills (CASS). The CASS assesses social skills performance in a face to face social interaction with an unfamiliar, typically developing peer, making this a valuable instrument to assess the social conversational skills targeted in PEERS®. In addition, to obtain a complete picture of social skills, self-, parent- and teacher-reported social skills are assessed using the Social Skills improvement System (SSiS-RS) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2). Secondary outcome measures (i.e. explorative mediators) include social knowledge, social cognition, social anxiety, social contacts and feelings of parenting competency of caregivers. Moreover, demographic and diagnostic measures are assessed as potential moderators of treatment effectiveness. Assessments of adolescents, parents, and teachers take place at baseline (week 0), intermediate (week 7), post intervention (week 14), and at follow-up (week 28).

    CONCLUSION: This is the first RCT on the effectiveness of the PEERS® parent-assisted curriculum which includes an active control condition. The outcome of social skills is assessed using observational assessments and multi-informant questionnaires. Additionally, factors related to social learning are assessed at several time points, which will enable us to explore potential mediators and moderators of treatment effect.

    TRAIL REGISTRATION: Dutch trail register NTR6255 (NL6117). Registered February 8th, 2017 - retrospectively registered.

    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  19. McCabe MP, Busija L, Fuller-Tyszkiewicz M, Ricciardelli L, Mellor D, Mussap A
    Body Image, 2015 Jan;12:108-14.
    PMID: 25497878 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.10.008
    This study determined how sociocultural messages to change one's body are perceived by adolescents from different cultural groups. In total, 4904 adolescents, including Australian, Chilean, Chinese, Indo-Fijian, Indigenous Fijian, Greek, Malaysian, Chinese Malaysian, Tongans in New Zealand, and Tongans in Tonga, were surveyed about messages from family, peers, and the media to lose weight, gain weight, and increase muscles. Groups were best differentiated by family pressure to gain weight. Girls were more likely to receive the messages from multiple sociocultural sources whereas boys were more likely to receive the messages from the family. Some participants in a cultural group indicated higher, and others lower, levels of these sociocultural messages. These findings highlight the differences in sociocultural messages across cultural groups, but also that adolescents receive contrasting messages within a cultural group. These results demonstrate the difficulty in representing a particular message as being characteristic of each cultural group.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
  20. Hock LK, Ghazali SM, Cheong KC, Kuay LK, Li LH, Huey TC, et al.
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(10):4359-66.
    PMID: 24935397
    Intention to smoke is a valid and reliable factor for predicting future smoking habits among adolescents. This factor, however, has received inadequate attention in Malaysia. The present paper elaborates the prevalence and factors associated with intent to initiate or to cease smoking, among adolescent nonsmokers and smokers in Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia. A total of 2,300 secondary school students aged 13-16 years were selected through a two-stage stratified sampling method. A set of standardized questionnaires was used to assess the smoking behavior among adolescents and the inter-personal and intra-personal factors associated with smoking intention (intention to initiate smoking or to cease smoking). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors related to smoking intention. The prevalence of intention to smoke in the future or to cease smoking among non- smoking adolescents and current smokers were 10.7% and 61.7% respectively. Having friends who smoke, social influence, and poor knowledge about the ill effects on health due to smoking showed significant relationships with intention to smoke in the future among non-smokers. Conversely, perceived lower prevalence of smoking among peers, weak contributory social influence, and greater awareness of the ill effects of smoking are factors associated with the intention to cease smoking sometime in the future. The study found that prevalence of intention to initiate smoking is low among non-smokers while the majority of current smokers intended to cease smoking in the future. Existing anti-smoking programmes that integrate the factors that have been identified in the current study should be put in motion to reduce the prevalence of intention to initiate smoking and increase the intention to cease smoking among adolescents.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Group
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