Objective
One of the main concerns of parents is the amount of screen time of their teenagers, and most of them try to set rules about it. The objective of this exploratory study was to compare ...whether parents' rules changed during confinement and whether these changes were successful.
Methods
We studied a group of parents (N = 47) of 13‐year‐olds in Switzerland surveyed before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Results
Most parents (83%) indicated that screen‐time rules for their teens had changed during containment, mainly to be less strict. Although only a minority of parents were successful in defining screen‐time spaces or schedules for their teenagers, almost three out of four were successful when they encouraged non‐screen‐based activities.
Conclusions
This exploratory study reveals that, during containment, parents decided to be less strict with their teens' screen‐time use even though it remained their main worry. However, it also suggests that when activities non‐involving screens are proposed, teens are likely to participate. These results seem to indicate that reducing screen time is not a matter of imposing restrictions but, rather, of proposing alternatives. Finally, further research is warranted to assess whether these changes in screen‐time use are exceptional or here to stay.
Background
There is a gap in the literature regarding data on sexting among youth under the age of 16 whereas the problems related to this practice could affect them more because of their ongoing ...development. This study aims to determine the prevalence rate and characteristics of sending one's own sexually related image among middle‐school teens.
Methods
Data were obtained from a web‐based in‐school survey conducted between October 2019 and February 2020. The sample comprised 3006 (mean age 13.7; 50.2% males) 10th‐grade pupils in the canton of Vaud (Switzerland). Participants were asked “Have you ever sent a sexually related/sexy image of yourself?”. Analysis of variance/chi‐square tests and multinomial regression analyses were used to compare the groups.
Results
Overall, 93.0% reported never, 3.7% once and 3.3% several times. No gender differences were found. Sending was associated with older age, low academic performance, cyberbullying victimization and reception of unsolicited sexually related images.
Conclusions
Education and health professionals should be aware that it is necessary to discuss the theme, perhaps with a more global approach including pressure, consent, exchange of nonsexual images, and so on from an early age. The context and reasons for sending remain to be explored, particularly to determine if the pressure is greater at this age.
To compare the characteristics of and use of the healthcare system by healthy youths depending on whether they had discussed transition to adult health care with their paediatrician or not.
Data were ...drawn from the fourth wave of the GenerationFRee study (2018-2019) conducted in the 11 post-mandatory schools of the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. The sample included 931 young people (mean age 19.4 years). Participants were categorised into three groups: those who had discussed transition with their p ediatrician (n = 176; 19%), those who had not (n = 286; 31%) and those who did not know (n = 469; 50%). Analyses were stratified by gender through bivariate analysis and post-hoc tests with a Bonferroni-type adjustment.
The majority of participants did not know whether or not they had discussed transition. Across all groups, it was found that youths met their primary care physician at a higher rate through family. Meeting with the primary care physician through the paediatrician occurred at a higher rate when youths had discussed transition. Girls with a below average socioeconomic status and boys with advanced puberty onset were more likely to have discussed transition.
Our results show that youths are not well informed about the transition process. However, youths who have discussed transition appear to be more involved with the healthcare system as they are more likely to have a primary care provider. In order to avoid discontinuity of care, professionals should approach transition to adult care systematically with all their patients.
Aim
This study examined whether consuming energy drinks at the age of 14 predicted substance use at 16.
Methods
We followed 621 youths from an area of Switzerland who completed a longitudinal online ...survey in both 2012 and 2014 when they were 14 and 16 years of age. At 14, participants, who were divided into nonenergy drink users (n = 262), occasional users (n = 183) and regular users (n = 176), reported demographic, health‐related and substance use data. Substance use at 16 was assessed through logistic regression using nonusers as the reference group and controlling for significant variables at 14.
Results
At the bivariate level, energy drink consumption was associated with substance use at both 14 and 16. Energy drink consumers were also more likely to be male, older, less academic, sleep less on schooldays and live in an urban area. In the multivariate analysis, smokers, alcohol misusers and cannabis users at the age of 16 were significantly more likely to have been regular energy drink users at the age of 14.
Conclusion
Consuming energy drinks at 14 years of age predicted using legal and illegal substances at 16. Health providers should screen young adolescents for energy drink use and closely monitor weekly users.
Switzerland has been receiving migrants of various origins for more than 50 years. The adoption of risk-taking behaviours among migrant youths is unclear. Moreover, when studied, migrant youths are ...rarely analysed according to whether they are first or second generation, or just young people with mixed origins. The aim of this study was to assess whether there are any differences between first-and second-generation immigrants, youths of mixed origins and their native peers in Switzerland concerning their engagement in risk behaviours.
A total of 5834 youths from eleven post-mandatory schools in the canton of Fribourg (Switzerland) participated in the baseline survey of the GenerationFRee study, a longitudinal study to assess their lifestyle. Participants were divided by gender and by origin into: (a) natives: Swiss-born youths with Swiss-born parents, (b) first-generation migrants: foreign-born youths with foreign-born parents, (c) second-generation migrants: Swiss-born youths with foreign-born parents, (d) mixed-origin youths: Swiss-born youths with one Swiss-born parent and one foreign-born parent. Participants reported personal, family and school information, and attitudes towards eight risk behaviours. All significant variables at the bivariate level were included in a binary logistic regression.
The logistic regression showed that, compared with natives, first-and second-generation migrant boys were less likely to misuse alcohol. Boys of mixed origins were similar to migrants, although at the bivariate level they were more exposed to risk behaviours than were migrants. First-and second-generation migrant girls were less likely to misuse alcohol but three times more likely to be excessive Internet users. Girls of mixed origin were more likely to have their parents not living together and reported antisocial behaviours almost twice more often.
Our findings expose a lower engagement in risk behaviours among migrants. The migrant status in these two groups is clearly buffered if other control variables are considered. Thus, we can affirm that in the present study, migrants are not a high-risk population or not more at risk than the native group. Mixed origin youths showed higher risk behaviours than natives and migrants. Special attention should be given to this specific group, as they may be more vulnerable during adolescence.
Sexting was originally made public by dramatic consequences involving youths with contents that were disseminated and then used as a base for harassment. Despite a growing public and research ...interest, there is no consensus regarding its definition and measurements. As part of a larger qualitative study on sexting, we aimed to gather and compare opinions and perceptions of 32 youths (16–21 years) and 29 adults (11 parents and 18 teachers) on how sexting can be defined. Different constituent elements were discussed in terms of knowledge, mediums (text-only, photographs, videos, etc.), characteristics, actions (receiving, sending, disseminating, etc.) and contexts. The knowledge and the use of the term sexting was approximate for several participants. Youths used more suggestive elements in their definition and the vast majority of them defined sexting as an activity that could be positive and respectful between two consenting persons. It is necessary to develop a precise and consensual definition of sexting by separating different dimensions and by using a specific vocabulary according to youth perceptions as their main definition of sexting seems to be different from the one of most adults. Prevention messages should aim to reduce the risks by targeting the problems linked to sexting rather than prohibiting sexting per se. This exploratory study could pave the way for a clearer definition and measurement of sexting.
Understanding risky sexual behaviors among adolescents is key in efforts devoted to reducing the health burden related to sexually transmitted infections and unintended or unplanned pregnancies. The ...aims of this study were to understand the association between number of lifetime sexual partners and time since sexual debut (TSSD) among adolescents and to determine whether sex modified this association. Data were drawn from the 2018–2019 COMPASS-Quebec study, a cohort study conducted in secondary schools in the province of Quebec, Canada. Of 18,467 respondents aged 14 years and older, 6991 (37.9%; mean age 15.3) reported consensual sexual intercourse and answered questions on their age at sexual initiation and number of lifetime sexual partners. Multilevel Poisson regressions with robust standard errors were estimated to adjust for covariates and produce adjusted group mean differences. The adjusted mean number of lifetime sexual partners ranged from 1.5 for those who had recently begun sexual activity (< 12 months) to 4.0 for those who had been active for > 35 months, an average rise of about 0.6 per year. Females-to-males adjusted mean differences showed that males reported more sexual partners than females at all time points, but the differences were only significant at the shorter (< 12 months) and longer (> 35 months) time spans. This study highlights the importance of taking into account TSSD when using and interpreting the number of lifetime sexual partners as risky sexual behavior among adolescents. Sex did not have a significant modifying effect on the relationship between number of lifetime sexual partners and TSSD.
Introduction
Sexting has attracted the interest of researchers, media, and public opinion, but its definition still does not reach consensus. This gap may lead to diverging prevention messages. This ...study investigated the opinions of adolescents on a set of sexting-related preventive measures.
Methods
In 2018, 48 adolescents (27 females) aged 13 to 18 years participated in the study. To assess opinions of adolescents on sexting-related prevention, we conducted a Q-methodology study, a mixed methods research, in Lausanne (Canton of Vaud, Switzerland). The final Q-set constituted 58 statements reflecting a wide range of key messages, key actors, and materials. Each participant was asked to rank-order the 58 cards using a grid ranging from − 5 (completely disagree) to + 5 (completely agree).
Results
Five different profiles of considering sexting-related prevention were identified: Focus on consequences, sex education, and testimonies, focus on guidelines, focus on training/information, and peer prevention. The typical scenario used in many prevention campaigns illustrating a girl who is victim of a non-consensual sharing perpetrated by a boy was not appreciated. The topic of the Internet was not considered an appropriate gateway to discuss sexting. Pressure and bullying issues as topics to discuss in a sexting-related prevention were the most consensual statements.
Conclusions
This study highlighted the need to offer a multi-disciplinary, multi-resource and multi-concept approach in sexting-related prevention. Broader values such as respect and consent must be integrated. Consensual sexting must be clearly differentiated from non-consensual dissemination. Policy implications and future directions, including prevention strategies, are discussed.
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