Search Results (12)

This qualitative study examines how menstruation structures the lives and futures of married adolescent girls in the Centre for Girls’ Education’s Married Adolescent Safe Spaces (MAS) program in rural northern Nigeria. It addresses a key gap by focusing on married adolescents and treating menstruation as a social process linked to early marriage, schooling, mobility, and sexual and reproductive health, rather than only a hygiene issue. Guided by an intersectional social ecological and menstrual health-and-rights framework, the study draws on three years of ethnographic fieldwork. Methods include participant observation in MAS clubs, in-depth interviews, informal group discussions, and Hausa field notes from multiple rural communities, analyzed through iterative thematic coding and collaborative memoing. Findings show that menstruation operates as a “catalyst of constraint.” Menarche signals sexual maturity, intensifying moral surveillance, prompting threats or realities of school withdrawal, and accelerating pressure toward marriage. Girls describe menstruation as a “joy killer” and becoming “a shadow of myself,” as stains, pain, and shaming by teachers and peers lead to absenteeism and, at times, permanent dropout. Silence and stigma mean that asking questions can be read as promiscuity, pushing girls away from parents, religious leaders, and male teachers and toward sisters, peers, and mentors for incomplete guidance. Structural deprivation further individualizes the burden of menstrual management. Poverty, lack of affordable pads and underwear, and inadequate WASH facilities compel girls to “make do” with cloths and other unsafe materials, restrict movement during bleeding, and engage in small income-generating activities or kin negotiations to obtain basic supplies. MAS safe spaces partially disrupt these patterns by offering rare venues to discuss menstruation openly, learn cycle tracking and hygiene, and build peer solidarity and self-advocacy. However, the analysis underscores that program benefits remain constrained when poverty, weak school infrastructure, and restrictive gender norms remain intact. The study highlights how equitable sexual and reproductive health interventions must integrate menstrual health centrally, combining safe-space programming with subsidized products, improved WASH infrastructure, protective school policies, and norm change efforts. Full article

This study examines how structured interventions influence team creativity on a metaverse-based collaboration platform. Using B.sket, a custom virtual workspace, we tested two interventions during an online brainstorming task: (1) real-time participation feedback delivered as a communication barcode showing each member’s speaking time and sequence (an informational cue), and (2) a group norm communication encouraging equal participation (a social-normative cue). Eighty-one university students in South Korea, recruited through online advertisements using a convenience sampling method, participated in a 2 (group norm prompt: provided vs. not) × 2 (participation feedback: provided vs. not) between-subject factorial design. Team creativity was evaluated by fluency, flexibility, and originality. Results revealed that, contrary to expectations, participation feedback significantly reduced idea fluency and showed marginally negative effects on flexibility and originality. The group norm prompt produced no significant improvements in creativity. We speculate that these findings can be explained by self-determination theory and ego depletion theory, such that real-time participation feedback may undermine individuals’ sense of autonomy and induce cognitive distraction, thereby reducing creative performance. We discuss practical implications that team process interventions for promoting equal participation should be designed carefully to avoid these unexpected consequences. Full article

Animal fur has long symbolized luxury and social status, but growing concerns about animal welfare, environmental harm, and zoonotic disease risks have prompted global reforms, with over 22 countries banning fur production. In the United States, however, public attitudes toward fur farming and sales bans remain underexplored. This study surveyed 2014 adults from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York to assess views on fur farming, acceptability, and support for state-level bans, as well as the influence of message framing. Participants were randomly assigned to one of six message conditions (animal welfare, environmental, public health, economic, faux fur alternatives, or social norms) or a control group. Most respondents supported bans on fur sales and fur from commercial farms (approximately 65% weighted). Messages highlighting animal welfare, environmental impacts, public health, and social norms significantly increased support, while economic and faux fur messages did not. Political affiliation moderated these effects, with independents most responsive. Beliefs about cruelty, environmental harm, and zoonotic risks predicted support, whereas conservatism, opposition to regulation, and consumer rights beliefs predicted opposition. Overall, appeals to ethics, sustainability, and social change appear most effective for advancing fur-related policy initiatives. Full article

Background: Children often present to primary and specialty care clinics with multiple somatic symptoms of nonspecific origin that can be highly distressing and prompt significant health service use. We evaluated the psychometric properties of the eight-item Children’s Somatic Symptoms Inventory (CSSI-8) as a brief measure of somatic distress that could be easily integrated into clinical systems. Method: Eight items from the 24-item CSSI were selected based on their representation of multiple bodily systems, association with high base rates, and ability to maximize the separation of the items’ Rasch measure scores. The psychometric quality of the eight-item scale was evaluated in 876 pediatric patients with chronic abdominal pain and a nonclinical sample of 954 school children using methods from three psychometric models (the classical test theory, Rasch modeling, and confirmatory factor analysis). Results: The CSSI-8 showed good measurement properties on an extensive array of psychometric criteria, had adequate Rasch person separation reliability for a brief instrument (r_sep = 0.74–0.75), and distinguished between clinical and nonclinical youth. Girls in both groups had significantly higher CSSI-8 scores than boys. Norms for the clinical sample are presented. Conclusions: The CSSI-8 is a psychometrically sound measure suitable for use as a brief dimensional assessment of pediatric somatic distress. Full article

Peer-facilitated curriculum-based programs, including Stepping Stones, have been shown to be effective in preventing HIV and reducing gender-based violence (GBV). We conducted a qualitative study in early 2017 to hear perspectives of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) participating in the USAID-funded Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored, and Safe Women (DREAMS) intervention (administered by the President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in northern Uganda that featured 10 peer-facilitated sessions of a Stepping Stones curriculum. The study focused on asking AGYW how the initiative had affected their lives and on identifying lessons learned that could support future initiatives. A total of 56 AGYW were interviewed, including the peer facilitator and 6–7 randomly selected participants of nine DREAMS groups in Northern Uganda. Overwhelmingly, participants indicated that regular HIV testing and knowing their status, knowledge and an increased use of family planning, and knowing how to respond to GBV were among the results of their participation. However, a problematic finding was that peer group discussions relating to reducing GBV included advising AGYW about how to adjust their own behavior in ways that would reduce tension with their male partners, rather than shifting harmful gender norms. This is not consistent with the Stepping Stones program and prompted a retrospective review of factors related to how the program was implemented to better understand this result. Our study points to the important role facilitators play in shifting challenging gender norms, and the importance of fidelity to original program designs, as well as appropriate adaptations for different contexts. Our findings also signal the need for funders to allow sufficient time to pilot and adapt models. Full article

The rise of social media use has been phenomenal, particularly during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, Facebook has also seen its share of users rise at a meteoric rate. At the same time, the academy is producing a growing body of literature concerning the use of online methods for primary data collection. Yet, despite the increase in the use of the internet as a research tool, very little still exists on the use of social media to recruit research participants, particularly those deemed “socially invisible”. This paper addresses this gap. Another research project explored the experiences of South Asian women who had departed the social norms of arranged marriage to form an intimate relationship with a partner of choice and who then experienced forms of gender-related violence (GRV). The project encountered difficulties in recruiting participants from this marginalised and often invisible group in UK society, who are often too frightened or ashamed to come forward. This study demonstrates how to use Facebook ethically and methodologically, highlighting some of the methods used to overcome the challenges that were presented. The research was undertaken before the COVID-19 pandemic (which prompted a widespread use of social media in social science research). We argue that, despite the ethical challenges, the advantages of using social media to recruit participants when researching a highly sensitive topic such as GRV with ‘invisible groups’ was highly beneficial. We therefore suggest that social media should be an integral part of the research recruitment process, alongside non-digital methods, so that other ‘invisible groups’ are not created comprising those who cannot access technology. We share the lessons learned for the benefit of researchers using a similar approach today when recruiting research participants from invisible and marginalised groups. The authors caveat their recommendation of using social media with suggesting that those who do not have high levels of experience of data collection with such cohorts instead consider working with gatekeepers to facilitate the recruitment. Full article

In the aftermath of a global health pandemic, youth mental health is a public-health emergency. The acceleration of digital technologies, catalysed by COVID-19, has seen the growing significance of online support and social media for promoting health behaviours. This exploratory study utilised a participatory-action research (PAR) design to investigate adolescents’ (N = 10; aged 16–18) perceptions and experiences of social media with respect to mental-wellbeing content. Data were collected using a focus-group method. Young people (YP) also evaluated digital resources adapted from the Super Skills for Life (SSL-A) intervention. Thematic analysis elicited three thematic categories: young people’s relationship with social media, perceptions and experiences of support pathways, and cultivating mental-health and wellbeing provision for a digital generation. Findings revealed that YP were discerning digital citizens and willing to use technologies for support. Although exposure to social-media images and videos can convey social norms and shape normative perceptions of healthy wellbeing, mental-health literacy was a critical factor prompting change. Future co-production research is needed to design, develop, and evaluate digital resources adapted from evidence-based programmes to contribute to hybrid models of mental-wellbeing provision that can offer YP timely and appropriate support and a choice of delivery modalities. Full article

Maternal obesity is associated with adverse metabolic outcomes in her offspring, from the earliest stages of development leading to obesity and poorer cardiometabolic health in her offspring. We investigated whether an effective preconception lifestyle intervention in obese women affected cardiometabolic health of their offspring. We randomly allocated 577 infertile women with obesity to a 6-month lifestyle intervention, or to prompt infertility management. Of the 305 eligible children, despite intensive efforts, 17 in the intervention and 29 in the control group were available for follow-up at age 3–6 years. We compared the child’s Body Mass Index (BMI) Z score, waist and hip circumference, body-fat percentage, blood pressure Z scores, pulse wave velocity and serum lipids, glucose and insulin concentrations. Between the intervention and control groups, the mean (±SD) offspring BMI Z score (0.69 (±1.17) vs. 0.62 (±1.04)) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure Z scores (0.45 (±0.65) vs. 0.54 (±0.57); 0.91 (±0.66) vs. 0.96 (±0.57)) were similar, although elevated compared to the norm population. We also did not detect any differences between the groups in the other outcomes. In this study, we could not detect effects of a preconception lifestyle intervention in obese infertile women on the cardiometabolic health of their offspring. Low follow-up rates, perhaps due to the children’s age or the subject matter, combined with selection bias abating contrast in periconceptional weight between participating mothers, hampered the detection of potential effects. Future studies that account for these factors are needed to confirm whether a preconception lifestyle intervention may improve the cardiometabolic health of children of obese mothers. Full article

Mood responses are a well-established mental health indicator. Gauging mental health status over time often involves periodic mood assessment using a standardized measure, a process referred to as mood profiling. Comparison of observed mood scores against relevant normative data is central to effective mood profiling. The primary purpose of our study was to improve existing norms for the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) using a large internet sample. The secondary purpose was to discuss how mood profiling can be used to promote sustainable mental health primarily among athletes but also with relevance to non-athletes. The BRUMS was completed via the In The Mood website by 15,692 participants. Significant differences between observed mean scores and existing normative data were evident for all six mood dimensions, prompting norm refinement. Specific group norms were generated to address sex differences in mood responses and differences by athlete/nonathlete status. The revised tables of normative data for the BRUMS should be used by researchers in future investigations of mood responses and by applied practitioners seeking to monitor mood responses as an indicator of mental health status. Applications of mood profiling with elite athletes are exemplified, along with recommendations for using mood profiling in the pursuit of sustainable mental health. Full article

Background: Schistosomiasis is a public health problem that affects over 240 million people worldwide. It is mostly prevalent in tropical and sub-tropical areas among communities with limited access to clean water and adequate sanitation. This study was conducted in uMkhanyakude District in rural South Africa, where water resources are limited. In this community, individuals frequently come into contact with freshwater bodies for various reasons. The objective of the study was to identify critical contextual and psychosocial factors for behaviour change to reduce risk of schistosomiasis transmission in Madeya Village, uMkhanyakude district. Methods: Structured household interviews were held with 57 primary caregivers to assess their thoughts and attitudes towards collecting water from a safe source. We used the Risk, Attitude, Norm, Ability, and Self-regulation model (RANAS) to estimate the intervention potential for each factor by analysing differences in means between groups of current performers and nonperformers who use safe water sources. Results: The subscale vulnerability belonging to the risk factor on the RANAS was scored as low. Furthermore, attitudinal factors towards the use of safe water sources were found to be low. Ability factors (confidence in performance and confidence in recovery) towards the use of safe water sources were low as well, indicating that these factors should be the target of the intervention in the study area. Discussion: Based on this study, it is recommended that a community-based empowerment intervention strategy it appropriate. The strategy should prompt behavioural practice and public commitment, use persuasive language to boost self-efficacy and target younger low-income caregivers between 18 and 35 years of age. Full article

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders in school-aged children, with major consequences in psychosocial and physical health. Adequate identification of this disorder is necessary to prompt effective interventions. The aims of this study were to develop the Spanish adjusted reference norms for the DCDDaily-Q and to test the correlation and agreement between the Spanish versions of the DCDDaily-Q (DCDDaily-Q-ES) and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ-ES), two reliable instruments to assess motor performance and DCD. Clinically relevant percentiles were calculated for the DCDDaily-Q-ES using a representative sample of Spanish children aged 5 to 10 years (n = 356; M = 7.3 years, SD = 1.8; boys = 50%). Pearson’s correlation coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to determine correlation and agreement between questionnaires, respectively. A moderate and significant correlation and agreement between DCDDaily-Q-ES and DCDQ-ES was found (r = 0.406; ICC = 0.381; p < 0.001). Differences in daily participation and performance were found between age groups, but not between boys and girls. Spanish age-adjusted percentiles and cutoff scores for DCDDaily-Q-ES are provided. This study offers further validation and relevant information regarding assessment of DCD and has practical implications for clinical practice and research. Full article

A large body of research supports the idea of social norms communication promoting pro-social and pro-environmental behaviour. This paper investigates social norms communication in the field. Signs prompting consumers about sustainable seafood labels and informing them about other consumers’ sustainable choices were displayed in supermarkets in Norway and Germany. Seafood sales (sustainably labelled versus unlabelled products) were observed before, during, and after the implementation of the signs. The expected change towards more sustainable choices was generally not found. In Norway, the choice of sustainable seafood increased in the prompt-only condition, but the effect was neutralised when social norms information was added. In Germany, social norm messages lead to a decline in sustainable choices compared to baseline, a boomerang effect. Overall, an increase in the purchase of seafood (both sustainably labelled and unlabelled) was noted during the intervention. A second study was carried out to further explore the finding that consumers were mainly primed with “seafood” as a food group. In a laboratory setting, participants were confronted with stereotypical food pictures, combined with short sentences encouraging different consumption patterns. Subsequently, they were asked to choose food products in a virtual shop. Confirming the findings of Study 1, participants chose more of the groceries belonging to the food group they were primed with. These studies suggest that social norms interventions—recently often perceived as “the Holy Grail” for behaviour change—are not as universally applicable as suggested in the literature. According to this study, even descriptive norm messages can produce boomerang effects. Full article