Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Internet and teenagers – Cross-cultural studies'

Early adolescence (e.g., 10-14 years old) is a time during which health habits and behaviors first develop that carry over into adulthood. This age range is also a time when changes are often first observed in typical sleep patterns, such as a delay in bedtimes, decreased total sleep times, and increased sleep problems. Electronic media and social networking have become essential to adolescent interpersonal communication and are negatively associated with adolescent sleep. Room and/or bed sharing practices and having a parent-set bedtime are still common in this age range, though no study has examined the relationship between these culturally influenced practices and the sleep of racially/ethnically diverse early adolescents. The current study examined if differences exist between 1272 Caucasian, Hispanic/Latino, and African American early adolescents (ages 10-14 years) on self-reported bedtime, SOL, TST, and sleep efficiency, and whether these differences persist when taking into account presence of electronic media in the bedroom (i.e., TV, videogame console, computer, cellphone), media use at bedtime (i.e., watching TV, playing video/computer games, social networking, texting), room sharing, and parent-set bedtimes. Preliminary results showed that females reported worse sleep than males (i.e., longer sleep onset latency, shorter TST, and lower sleep efficiency, with a trend for having a later bedtime), and that African Americans and Hispanics reported later bedtimes than Caucasians, Hispanics reported shorter sleep onset latency and longer sleep efficiency than Caucasians, and African Americans reported shorter total sleep time than Caucasians. Presence of any type of media in the bedroom or use of any type of electronic media at bedtime was associated with later bedtimes and shorter total sleep times, but not with SOL or sleep efficiency. Parent-set bedtimes were associated with earlier bedtimes, longer sleep onset latency, longer TST, and lower sleep efficiency. After controlling for significant bedtime factors, only the main effects for TST became non-significant, while the interaction became significant. Hispanic females reported shorter TST than Hispanic males, African American females reported shorter TST compared to Caucasian females, and Caucasian males reported shorter TST compared to Hispanic males. Intervention strategies such as parent education and sleep education in schools targeting the bedtime behaviors and sleeping habits of adolescents are discussed.

This master thesis studies teenage users that are common to the semi-anonymous question and answer platform Sayat.me. Sayat.me offers users with a profile the possibility to receive questions and feedback from friends and peers. What is so special about the platform is that the commenters’ identity remains undisclosed, which means that all messages are by default anonymous. Previous research has demonstrated the frequent occurrence of cyberbullying or online abuse on these platforms. Adults are puzzled as to why semi-anonymous question and answer platforms are so popular amongst teenagers. Departing from a theoretical framework with key concepts from digital and social media theories, the analysis tries to create a better understanding of this phenomenon from Belgian teenagers’ point of view. The results of the interviews show that, first of all, Sayat.me is not considered as an independent social media site, but rather as an extension of it. On social media, ‘sociality’ and ‘connection’ is what matters, but on Sayat.me sociality mainly plays an indirect role where users receive compliments from and are comforted by friends. Compliments, approval and admiration is what teenagers keeps coming back to the platform. Although teenagers often encounter online abuse, they do not feel cyberbullied, even so they consider this abuse as ‘natural’ on the platform. In addition, it appears that the way you are handling Sayat.me says a lot about you as a person, which is why teens use Sayat.me to present themselves or to portray a certain image. However, teenagers only imagine their friends or peers as the audience and do not consider their Sayat.me for their parents’ eyes. The situation is that parents are confused and do not understand their children’s online behaviour, whilst teenagers are annoyed with their parents’ incomprehension and overprotectiveness.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescents belonging to lower socio economic groups, seem to be at risk for teenage pregnancies as well as the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. It is therefore important to study the sexual behaviour of these adolescents. This study focussed on the sexual behaviour of coloured and black female adolescents from working class communities. The respondents consisted of all the coloured and black female adolescents in a traditional coloured and a traditional black school in a semi-rural area. A self-administrative questionnaire was used. The questionnaire focussed on biographical details, the language adolescents use when they talk about sex as well as their sexual and contraceptive behaviour. The goals of the study were to describe the sexual behaviour of the black adolescents and to compare the sexual behaviour of the coloured and the black respondents. A quantitative methodology was used to examine the black respondents' range of sexual behaviour, communication about sex, sexual force and molestation as well as high risk sexual behaviour. According to the results a high percentage of black adolescents used Western and medical terms when they talk about sex. The sexually active black adolescents had coitus at an early age which could have implications for the incidence of teenage pregnancies and HIV/AIDS. A large percentage of the black adolescents indicated that they did not masturbate. Most of the black adolescents also indicated that they did not talk about sex with other people. A small percentage of the black adolescents reported that they were sexually molested or raped. A comparison with the coloured adolescents indicated that: more of the black adolescents reported that they had had coitus; more black adolescents reported pregnancies, more black respondents reported that they masturbated and fewer black adolescents reported that they smoked and used alcohol.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Adolessente wat aan laer sosio-ekonomtese graepe behaart, blyk 'n hoë risikagroep te wees vir tienerswangerskappe sawel as vir seksueel-aardraagbare siektes en MIV/VIGS. deel vorm. Dit is dus belangrik dat hierdie adalessente se seksuele gedrag nagevars ward. Hierdie studie het gefakus ap die seksuele gedrag van bruin en swart vroulike adolessente afkamstig uit werkersklas gemeenskappe. Die respandente het bestaan uit alle vroulike adolessente by 'n tradisianele bruin skaal en 'n tradisionele swart skaal in 'n semilandelike area. 'n Self-geadministreerde vraelys wat gefakus het ap biagrafiese gegewens, die taal wat adolessente gebruik wanneer hulle van seks praat asook seksuele en kantraseptiewe gedrag is in die studie gebruik. Die dael van die studie is eerstens om 'n beskrywing te bied van die swart adolessente se seksuele gedrag en tweedens om die seksuele gedrag van die bruin en swart adolessente met mekaar te vergelyk. "n Kwantitatiewe metadalagie is gebruik om die spektrum van seksuele gedrag, kommunikasie aar seks, seksuele dwang en malestering asook haë risiko seksuele gedrag van die swart respandente te ondersoek, Die resultate het daarop gedui dat "n graot persentasie van die swart adolessente gebruik maak van Westerse en mediese terme wanneer hulle van seks praat. Die aanvang van koïtus vir die seksueel aktiewe swart adolessente was ap "n vroeë ouderdom , wat implikasies kan hê vir die voorkoms van tienerswangerskappe en MIV/VIGS. 'n Graat persentasie van die swart adolessente het gerapparteer dat hulle nie masturbeer nie. Dit het verder geblyk dat hierdie graep swart adolessente selde verbaal aar seks kammunikeer met ander persone. "n Klein persentasie van die swart adolessente het qerapporteer dat hulle seksueel gemalesteer af verkrag is. "n Vergelyking met die bruin adolessente het aangedui dat meer swart adolessente kaitus gehad het, meer swart adalessente swangerskappe gerapparteer het, meer swart adalessente aangedui het dat hulle gemasturbeer het en dat minder swart adolessente raak en alkahalgebruik gerapparteer het.

This study examined psychological, social, and cultural factors that can affect suicide risk among Mong/Hmong youth between the ages of 18 and 25. Emerging evidence suggests that Mong/Hmong youth are at an increased risk for suicide (Huang, Lee, & Arganza, 2004; Jesilow & Xiong, 2007). Additionally, initial findings and theories have suggested potential associations between Mong/Hmong youth suicide risk and intergenerational family conflict, ethnic identity, acculturation, depression, and spirituality. The seriousness of suicide risk among Mong/Hmong youth in this country has been overlooked for decades; therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine these associations with the hope that the findings would be beneficial in future efforts to reduce suicide risk among Mong/Hmong youth. This research was a cross-sectional exploratory study that used a purposive sampling method in addition to snowball sampling. The sample consisted of 165 Mong/Hmong youth between the ages of 18 and 25 from three California academic institutions. Results indicated that of 165 respondents, 59% (n=98) have had passing thoughts of suicide. There was a correlation between ethnic identity, intergenerational family conflict, depression, and spiritual beliefs. Furthermore, ethnic identity and intergenerational family conflict were significant predictors of depression. Lastly, depression and having a belief in Mong/Hmong traditional spiritual and healing practices were predictors of suicide risk among the sampled population. Two open-ended protective factor questions were explored to encourage participants to reflect on their resilience to suicide by sharing how they responded to thoughts of ending their life and what helped them to overcome those thoughts. Five themes were identified as protective factors: (1) having the cognitive ability to understand how death affects loved ones; (2) optimism and having a positive orientation toward the future; (3) connectedness with family, friends, and community; (4) having a sense of self-worth; and (5) a social life. Implications for social work practice and policy include the development, expansion and delivery of culturally appropriate mental health treatment services for young adults. This entails the incorporation of traditional Mong/Hmong mental health healing practices into western mental health treatment, ongoing clinical research to better understand the mental health needs of the Mong/Hmong young adult population, and educating and empowering the Mong/Hmong community to access the mental health system, thereby reducing the stigma associated with mental health and increasing access to treatment.

Thesis by publication.
Thesis (PhD) -- Macquarie University, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, 2008.
Bibliography: leaves 124-133.
Introduction - Literature review -- Online word-of-mouth: a comparison of American and Chinese discussion boards -- Electronic word-of-mouth: a comparison of stated and revealed behaviour on electronic discussion boards -- A cross-cultural comparison of electronic word-of-mouth and country-of-origin effects -- Conclusion.
The growth of electronic discussion boards has enabled consumers from different cultures to communicate with people of similar interests. Through this online channel, marketing concepts such as word-of-mouth (WOM) and country-of-origin (CoO) effects have the potential to become more important because of the potentially large number of participants involved. The US and China, being the largest and second-largest online population in the world respectively, are ideal countries to investigate the frequency and extent of these marketing concepts. --The thesis consists of three separate but inter-related papers which have been published in journals or have been accepted for publication. Each paper builds on the one before and analyses different aspects of online consumer behaviour such as information-giving, information-seeking and the CoO statements made by participants of discussion boards. By examining and comparing the frequency and content of discussion postings on discussion boards within US and China based websites, the thesis makes a comparison of the information-giving and information-seeking behaviour of the discussants and also looks at the extent and the content of CoO statements made. Online observation of discussion postings from six different discussion boards (three each from the US and China) was conducted over two 90-day period in 2004 and 2005 and a total of 5,993 discussion postings were downloaded for analysis. In addition, an online survey of 214 participants was conducted to compare the stated and actual (or "revealed") behaviour of discussants on the US and China based discussion boards. -- Overall, the findings indicate consistent differences over a 12-month period in the bahaviour of the US and Chinese discussants. The US discussants were found to provide more information than their Chinese counterparts while the Chinese discussants exhibited more information-seeking bahaviour on the discussion boards. The findings also indicate that the Chinese discussants demonstrated more negative CoO statements and these statements were observed to be related to Japan and/or brands that originated from Japan. The findings suggest that such negative CoO statements can increase rapidly online and it appears that the negative sentiments by the Chinese were apparently unrelated to product quality; instead they appear to have been predominantly associated with war related animosity. -- These findings have important implications for marketers selling to the Chinese as discussion boards appear to be more important as a source of information for the Chinese than the Americans. Also, given that the Chinese discussants demonstrated a high level of negative CoO statements relating to products from Japan, marketers selling Japanese products to the Chinese must understand the underlying issues related to these negativeCoO statements and take steps to prevent non-purchase of Japanese products.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
vii, 133 leaves ill

The object of this study was to assess the influence of native language, as a principal cultural characteristic, one users’ behavior when using a web-based e-commerce application. The study expands on previous research by comparing English and Russian users. The research also considered demographic data to assess additional factors that influence behavior and task performance. The research design encompassed an online shopping application with two different navigation menus. One menu was based on the action-object model and the other was based on the object-action model. The user interface was created in two different languages (Russian and English). This study suggests that language, as a cultural indicator, has a direct relationship to user satisfaction and performance in e-commerce web applications.

The purpose of this project is to develop computer-assisted language learning (CALL) lesson plans using the Internet and to offer an example for academic senior high school teachers in South Korea of exemplary treatment of cultural topics that promote critical thinking and incorporate crosscultural understanding based on cooperative learning.

The purpose of this project is to address the problems and improve English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning for the students of Korea by contrasting cultural similarities and differences and the same time utilizing computer-based instruction learning.

The study was undertaken to address the problem of effective counselling of adolescents exposed to family violence in a multicultural society. There is a growing body of research with regard to family violence, which has intensified since the end of 1998 with the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act no. 116. An additional complication to the phenomenon of family violence as a traumatic experience is the influence of culture. The characteristics of a multicultural society are explored, in order to determine the needs of the traumatised adolescent within the cross-cultural counselling context. During the literature study the researcher became sensitised to the fact that currently established cross-cultural counselling models do not meet the challenges of a multicultural society like South Africa. Intervention in a cross-cultural setting is highly complicated and this demands that an alternative counselling model be designed prior to the development of an effective cross-cultural counselling programme. Intervention Research design, as suggested by Rothman and Thomas (1994), is implemented by means of the qualitative case study method, and led to the development of the C 4 model and C 4 programme. The C 4 programme employs a therapeutic facilitation process that is based on a unique self-developed model of counselling, which rests on the principles of awareness, acceptance, availability and accommodating. The model and programme is context-centred, as opposed to person-centred, in order to distinguish the model from the school of person-centred counselling, as developed by Carl Rogers. The term context-centred implies that the individual is the only authority of his trauma experience. Therefore, it can be assumed that he is the one who can fit his trauma experience into the context of his own life and how it translates into his relationships with others. The intervention is deemed to have had effective results in terms of the adolescents' progress, and the accomplishment of the stated overall and specific aims of the programme. Adjustments were made to process, content and implementation procedures, thereby achieving the desired and intended outcomes.
Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2005.
Educational Psychology
unrestricted

Guided by Ogbu's cultural-ecological model of human development, this comparative study offers a comprehensive and explicit way of conceptualizing and measuring parenting within the cultural context. Multiple hypotheses are generated for the cross-cultural comparison of parenting styles in Asian Americans and European Americans. The study uses the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health survey data collected from a nationally representative sample of adolescents from grades 7 to 11. Logistic regression, ordered logit, and OLS regression models are employed to analyze ethnicity effects on parenting characteristics and adolescent competencies separately, adding adolescent gender, age, and parent education level as statistical controls. This study explains why family-based and individual-based parenting styles are culturally appropriate for competence acquisition in Asian-American and European-American families respectively. Findings of this study suggest that Asian parenting is largely motivated by the welfare of the family rather than the individual's needs. This pattern is seen in the high emphasis on education, different parental control levels over various behavior domains, characteristics of parental warmth and school involvement, and the way parents approach their adolescents. Greatly influenced by their cultural values about competencies necessary for success, Asian-American parents apparently inculcate the sense of filial obligation in adolescents with an emphasis on school success. European-American parents, on the other hand, develop the quality of self-expression in adolescents with an emphasis on self-esteem. Family-based parenting may be more advantageous to academic and behavioral competencies while individual-based parenting is relatively more effective for psychological adjustments. However, adolescents from both groups score reasonably well over measures of all competence variables. Thus, they may be all considered competent within their cultural contexts, with their differences echoing the fundamental diversity between the two parenting styles. This study presents some challenges to the traditional way of understanding and judging Asian parenting. A more complete scientific understanding of Asian Parenting would be useful for explaining competence acquisition in Asian-American adolescents.
Graduation date: 2003

This paper reports on part of a study of academic researchers' use of Internet information and communication technologies (IICTs) to support information-seeking activities. The goal of this research is to gain insight into disciplinary and cultural differences of information seeking in the Internet Era. The project is ongoing to include more participants from different cultures.

M.A. (Psychology)
Noller and Callan ( 1991) are of opinion that the success with which the adolescent copes with the main tasks of adolescence is determined by the family environment. Any failure of the adolescent to cope with his developmental tasks effectively, will prevent him from coping successfully with life's demands in future, and cause psychological and social problems (Jooste, 1989). The purpose of this cross-cultural study was to investigate those family qualities that contribute to successful coping with demands of life. The investigation was done within different culture groups as well as within different socio-economic status (SES) groups ...

Redfern Kids Connect is a community technology project that has run in inner-city Sydney since 2002. Redfern is known to many as the heart of urban Aboriginal Australia and as a diverse community facing challenges around poverty, crime and race relations. For three years, children (8-12 years old), and volunteers (university students and young professionals) have met each Saturday to play on computers and socialise. The project’s experiences with relationships, technology, and empowerment have been as confusing as they have been exciting. In the spirit of action research, this thesis explores the impacts the project has had. Uniquely embedded in the process of reflection occurring away from its on-the-ground activities, it tells the project’s story through the eyes of its volunteers. The research concludes that the project's main contributions to empowerment have been through building social capital (Cox, Putnam) and improving new forms of literacy (Warschauer). Vital to supporting and extending these outcomes have been taking a social approach to supporting technology use, shaping a safe and open environment (Marvin et. al), supporting critical thinking and expression (Freire) and examining the project 'behind the scenes'. The author takes the dual role of researcher and participant in the research.
Master of Arts (Hons)

Text in Afrikaans
The research was directed at setting up guidelines for the counsellor dealing with the adolescent in a multicultural environment. The supposition of the study was that the adolescent in a multicultural environment should be treated by the counsellor with cultural empathy, understanding and insight. This process should be free from stereotyping and prejudice. Guidelines were set up using a combination of Gestalt philosophical principles, existing literature and semi-structured interviews with cultural therapy experts. For the purpose of this study Thomas and Rothman's intervention research model was applied. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain information on the adolescent in therapy, which was combined with information found in literature in order to set up guidelines for counsellors. The researcher concludes that the counsellor dealing with the adolescent in a multicultural environment, has to possess sufficient cultural knowledge, cultural efficiency and cultural empathy to achieve a successful theurapeutic outcome. Guidelines for the counsellor who works with adolescents in a multicultural environment were set up successfully to bridge the current lack of knowledge in the field.
Social Work
M. Diac (Play Therapy)

Text in English
An increasingly recognised prevention approach for substance use entails reduction in risk factors and enhancement of promotive or protective factors in individuals and the environment surrounding them during their growth and development. However, in order to enhance the effectiveness of this approach, continuous study of risk aspects targeting different cultures, social groups and mixture of society has been recommended. This study evaluated the impact of potential risk and protective factors associated with family management and relations on adolescent substance abuse in South Africa. Exploratory analysis and cumulative odds ordinal logistic regression modelling was performed on the data while controlling for demographic and socio-economic characteristics on adolescent substance use. The most intensely used substances were tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, heroin and alcohol in decreasing order of use intensity. The specific protective or risk impact of family management or relations factors varied from substance to substance. Risk factors associated with demographic and socio-economic factors included being male, younger age, being in lower education grades, coloured ethnicity, adolescents from divorced parents and unemployed or fully employed mothers. Significant family relations risk and protective factors against substance use were classified as either family functioning and conflict or family bonding and support. Several family management factors, categorised as parental monitoring, discipline, behavioural control and rewards, demonstrated either risk or protective effect on adolescent substance use. Some factors had either interactive risk or protective impact on substance use or lost significance when analysed jointly with other factors such as controlled variables. Interaction amongst risk or protective factors as well as the type of substance should be considered when further considering interventions based on these risk or protective factors. Studies in other geographical regions, institutions and with better gender balance are recommended to improve upon the representativeness of the results. Several other considerations to be made when formulating interventions, the shortcomings of this study and possible improvements as well as future studies are also suggested.
Psychology
M. A. (Psychology)

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the associations among gender-differentiated motivational orientations (integrative and instrumental), acculturation success, and risky behaviours (illicit substance use and gambling behaviour) among Iranian youth who have immigrated to Toronto. DESIGN: Given the exploratory nature of the proposed research, a cross-sectional research design was used. SUBJECTS: A combination of purposive-proportional quota sampling and snowball sampling methods were employed. The sample for this research was comprised of 308 participants (M=155, F=153) who 1) were born in Iran, 2) had recently immigrated to Canada from Iran 2-8 years ago, and 3) were currently attending high school, enrolled in Grade 9, 10, 11, or 12 (ages 15 to 18) in Toronto. RESULTS: The results of the current study confirm 1) the findings in the existing literature that adherence to an instrumental motivational orientation is positively correlated with risktaking behaviours; 2) confirm some of the existing literature findings, which suggest that lower levels of acculturation are negatively associated with problem behaviours; 3) show that males possess an instrumental motivational orientation significantly more than females, and that females possess an integrative motivational orientation significantly more than males; 4) indicate that male participants show significantly lower levels of acculturation while female participants demonstrate higher level of acculturation, which confirms that acculturation is significantly determined by gender; and 5) partially support some of the claims in the literature; for example, it found males are more at risk for illicit drugs, while females to be more at risk for alcohol consumption. DISCUSSION The current study is among the first to examine the interrelationships among illicit substance use and gambling behaviour, acculturation success/stress, and motivational orientation among Iranian adolescent immigrants. To understand the predictors of success or failure among adolescent youth, replication of the current study is necessary.
Psychology
D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The present study compared the suicidal behaviour and related measures of adolescents in high school in Germany (N=318) and South Africa (N=299). Participants completed a series of self-report measures of the SPS (Suicide Probability Scale), PSS-Fa (Perceived Social Support From Family Scale), PSS-Fr (Perceived Social Support From Friends Scale), SIB (Scale Of Interpersonal Behaviour) and a number of demographic questions. Analyses were conducted using content analysis, correlation coefficients and logistic regression to determine variables related to previous suicide attempts, stepwise multiple regression to account for variables predicting currents suicidal risk; and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to examine differences among the groups and among suicide attempters and non-attempters. 36 German (11.3%) and 48 South African (16.1%) adolescents reported that they had made previous suicide attempts. German adolescents reported 45 (14.2%) suicide attempts in the family and 82 (25.8%) suicide attempts by friends. South African adolescents reported 43 (14.4%) suicide attempts in the family and 92 (30.7%) suicide attempts by friends. The following variables were associated with previous suicide attempts in the German sample: attempted suicide by friends, a life-threatening event, previous psychiatric contact, the death of a friend, low perceived family support, female gender, attempted suicide in the family, suicide of a friend, and low perceived friend support. The following variables were associated with previous suicide attempts in the South African sample: low perceived family support, death of a friend, attempted suicide by friends, female gender, a life-threatening event, previous psychiatric contact, suicide of friends, and attempted suicide in the family. The following variables for the German sample were found to be significant predictors of current suicidal risk: low perceived family and friend support, previous suicide attempts, suicide attempts in the family, a life-threatening event, suicide attempts of friends, suicide of friends, female gender, and previous psychiatric contact. The following variables for the South African sample were found to be significant predictors of current suicidal risk: previous suicide attempts, low perceived family and friend support, death of a friend, a life-threatening event, previous psychiatric contact, suicide attempts in the family, suicide of friends, and suicide attempts of friends. These findings show that suicidal behaviour is frequent in both countries. Suicidal deaths of friends and family is more prevalent in Germany, whereas religion or belief in god does not protect against suicide attempts in both countries. Results indicate that perceived support from family is a strong protective factor against suicide attempts.
Psychology
M.A. (Psychology)