Suchergebnisse

Can a sense of belonging increase life satisfaction? Why do we sometimes feel lonely? How can we sustain lasting human connections? The Psychology of Belonging explores why feeling like we belong is so important throughout our lives, from childhood to old age, irrespective of culture, race or geography. With its virtues and shortcomings, belonging to groups such as families, social groups, schools, workplaces and communities is fundamental to our identity and wellbeing, even in a time when technology has changed the way we connect with each other. In a world where loneliness and social isolation is on the rise, The Psychology of Belonging shows how meaningful connections can build a sense of belonging for all of us

This book explores contemporary perspectives and research on inclusion, providing a platform for discussing inclusion at an international level and its intersections with belonging and equity. How inclusion is defined and applied between schools, districts, and even countries can vary markedly; thus, an international understanding of inclusion is urgently needed. Experts from several countries in different regions present the latest research in the field of inclusion and provide practices and strategies guided by empirical research to address some of these issues. Schools are contextual organisations that represent the broader society, culture, and values in which they reside. Thus, how inclusion is practised at the society level has an implication on schools. The way we think about inclusion has shifted dramatically in the last decade - we now recognise that inclusion represents a broad spectrum of racial, ethnic, cultural, and sexual diversity that is seen in almost all modern schools. This book presents international perspectives and research on inclusion, belonging and equity to work towards a more consistent, collaborative, and global understanding. .

It has been argued that the workload of teachers has increased in recent decades and one reason for this has been the increased expectation of them to engage in administration tasks. The development of school policy is sometimes an expectation for teachers and school leaders and this can be problematic under tight time constraints and a lack of expertise in the relevant area in which teachers have been asked to create policy. This introductory chapter will provide a clear rationale for the use of policies in schools, outline a need for schools to be equipped with ready-made policies and plan effectively for implementation. Most teachers would agree that a policy is only effective if people implement it. This chapter will guide readers to consider: How will information about school policy be disseminated? How will key stakeholders be identified and how will they become actively involved in decisions? What will the timeline for policy implementation look like and when can evaluation, feedback, monitoring or follow up occur? Is the concerned policy feasible? Does it match the skills and willingness of implementers? Is it appropriate for the available resources? Do staff need short-term or long-term professional development or training, and do they understand the importance of policy for themselves and students? This chapter will also draw from best practices related to implementation.

Sexual perception refers to the attitudes, expectations, beliefs, and values associated with sexual behaviors. Adolescents' sexual behaviors is affected by the knowledge, attitudes, values, beliefs, and social norms in their society. In this respect, the sexual perception of adolescents can be studied from a cultural perspective. The present study was designed to identify factors affecting Iranian adolescent girls' perceptions of premarital sexual relationships. A qualitative study was conducted using a conventional content analysis approach. Data was collected using in-depth unstructured interviews with 18 adolescents recruited through purposive sampling. Data analysis resulted in the development of a primary main theme, meaning and value of sexual self-care, and three main categories: significant others, sexual norms, and attitudes, and perceived risks. Overall, findings of the present study revealed that the sexual perceptions of Iranian adolescent girls motivated them to abstain from premarital sexual relationships. However, apart from the perceived double standards involved in social norms and attitudes identified in the study, the presence of a conflict caused by their families, schools, and peers necessitated the importance of establishing and consolidating parent-adolescent communication about sexual issues. Findings of this study point to the need for appropriate sexual education for adolescents and parents to promote adolescent sexual literacy and health.

PurposeIn response to growing concerns over the negative consequences of Internet addiction on adolescents' mental health, coupled with conflicting results in this literature stream, this meta-analysis sought to (1) examine the association between Internet addiction and depressive symptoms in adolescents, (2) examine the moderating role of Internet freedom across countries, and (3) examine the mediating role of excessive daytime sleepiness.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 52 studies were analyzed using robust variance estimation and meta-analytic structural equation modeling.FindingsThere was a significant and moderate association between Internet addiction and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, Internet freedom did not explain heterogeneity in this literature stream before and after controlling for study quality and the percentage of female participants. In support of the displacement hypothesis, this study found that Internet addiction contributes to depressive symptoms through excessive daytime sleepiness (proportion mediated = 17.48%). As the evidence suggests, excessive daytime sleepiness displaces a host of activities beneficial for maintaining mental health. The results were subjected to a battery of robustness checks and the conclusions remain unchanged.Practical implicationsThe results underscore the negative consequences of Internet addiction in adolescents. Addressing this issue would involve interventions that promote sleep hygiene and greater offline engagement with peers to alleviate depressive symptoms.Originality/valueThis study utilizes robust meta-analytic techniques to provide the most comprehensive examination of the association between Internet addiction and depressive symptoms in adolescents. The implications intersect with the shared interests of social scientists, health practitioners, and policy makers.