Empowering young people-the impact of camp experiences on personal resources, well-being, and community building.

Introduction: Personal resources and resources of the sociocultural environment help children and adolescents to successfully cope with challenges in everyday life, which is associated with better individual well-being. SCOUT, the 'Study on Competence development in OUT-of-school settings', investigated whether participation in a summer camp enhanced adolescents' personal resources, well-being, and readiness to contribute to the community. Methods: The research took place during the Swiss National Jamboree of the Swiss Guide and Scout Movement, a two-week event in the summer of 2022, with a paper-pencil pretest (beginning of the camp - T1) and posttest (end of the camp - T2) survey (N = 607, aged 14-17). Confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine whether personal resources, well-being, and readiness to contribute to the community changed over time, and structural equation models were applied to test the direct and indirect effects of caring support from group leaders on the development of these variables. Results: In less than two weeks, camp participants demonstrated increased empathy, emotional self-control, optimism, and assertiveness. Furthermore, the adolescents reported more positive emotions, higher self-esteem, and stronger readiness to contribute to the community. Group leaders played a crucial role by influencing the positive development of well-being and readiness to contribute to the community both directly and indirectly through the promotion of personal resources. Discussion: The findings indicate that young people benefit not only from participating in collaborative activities in a stimulating environment, but also from caring support provided by their group leaders.

Basic Motor Competencies of (Pre)School Children: The Role of Social Integration and Health-Related Quality of Life.

In (pre)school, children acquire and deepen their basic motor competencies (BMCs) and interact with peers and friends. BMCs are a central developmental goal in childhood and the prerequisite for participation in sportive aspects of social life. Both motor competencies and social integration are linked to children's health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of the present study was to describe the connection between BMCs, social relationships, and aspects of HRQoL in (pre)school children. In this study, the BMCs of N = 1163 preschool children (M = 5.7 years, SD = 0.57, 52% boys) and N = 880 first and second graders (M = 7.5 years, SD = 0.58, 51% boys) were tested. The children's social integration was assessed by the teachers; the HRQoL was recorded from the parents' perspective. In both preschool and primary school, children with better BMCs also showed higher values in their social integration. Moreover, the results indicated a connection between BMCs and general HRQoL in primary school and BMCs and physical well-being in preschool. As BMCs, social integration, and HRQoL seem to be connected in (pre)school, this should be considered both from developmental and health-oriented perspectives, as well as for physical education (PE) lessons.

School principals' social support and teachers' basic need satisfaction: The mediating role of job demands and job resources.

Many teachers report high levels of occupational stress. Teachers' basic need satisfaction is essential for teachers' well-being at work. Social support from school principals is assumed to play an important role for teachers' basic need satisfaction. However, the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between social support from school principals and teachers' basic need satisfaction are mostly unknown. Previous research suggests that job demands and job resources may play an important mediating role. Therefore, we examine whether teachers' perceived job demands and job resources serve as mediators between social support from the school principal and teachers' basic need satisfaction. Using longitudinal data of N = 1071 teachers over the course of one school year, we applied structural equation modelling to test the hypothesised mediation model. Results showed that the relationship between social support from the school principal and teachers' basic need satisfaction was mediated by teachers' perceived job demands and job resources. Particularly, the job demand 'unclear organisational conditions' and job resource 'social support from colleagues' indicated the strongest effects on teachers' basic need satisfaction. These findings emphasise the responsibility of school principals to provide social support to their teachers and create a well-structured and supportive workplace. In doing so, school principals contribute to a work environment in which teachers can thrive.

Teachers' perceived time pressure, emotional exhaustion and the role of social support from the school principal.

Many teachers experience high levels of work-related strain due to time pressure, which over time can lead to various health problems, such as emotional exhaustion. However, there is growing evidence that this could be a reciprocal effect. Moreover, it is known that perceived social support can buffer the negative effects of stress, such as time pressure, on health outcomes. Less is known about buffering effects of received social support. Based on longitudinal data of n = 1071 Swiss primary and secondary school teachers over the course of one school year, the present study examined the reciprocal relationship between teachers' perceived time pressure and emotional exhaustion and whether received social support from the school principal buffers this relationship. Results of a random intercept cross-lagged panel model show a strong relationship between teachers' perceived time pressure and emotional exhaustion at the between-person level, but no effects at the within-person level. Further, received social support was directly related to less perceived time pressure and less emotional exhaustion. The results showed neither evidence for reciprocal effects between perceived time pressure and emotional exhaustion nor for a buffering effect of received social support from the school principal. Concluding, present findings indicate that the receipt of social support from the school principal is a central job resource that beneficially relates to teachers' experience of time pressure and emotional exhaustion.

Connection between Social Relationships and Basic Motor Competencies in Early Childhood.

In preschool, children build new contacts and social relationships with other people. They learn to cooperate with their peers and communicate in groups. In addition to social relationships, basic motor competencies (in German: Motorische Basiskompetenzen (MOBAK)) are also seen as a central developmental goal in early childhood and are necessary for participation in the culture of sports and movement. The aim of this paper is to describe the connection between social relationships and basic motor competencies in early childhood. In this present study, the motor competencies of N = 548 preschool children (51% girls, M = 68.0 months, SD = 6.8) were tested in the competence areas of self-movement and object movement. The children's perceived social relationships were recorded from teacher and parent perspectives. The results clearly show a connection between social relationships and motor competencies in early childhood, with a stronger connection observed in boys. This finding is relevant both from a developmental and a health-oriented perspective, as it points to a link between physical and mental health, as well as technical and interdisciplinary competencies, in early childhood.

Exposure to and annoyance with second-hand smoke in Switzerland: results of the Tobacco Monitoring survey.

OBJECTIVES: To present selected results on exposure to second-hand smoke and experienced annoyance with second-hand smoke in the Swiss population, particularly in restaurants and in the workplace. METHODS: The data were collected as part of the Swiss Survey of Tobacco Use ("Tobacco Monitoring") commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. It is a representative, continuous survey of tobacco consumption among 14- to 65-year-olds in Switzerland. Since January 2001, four times a year a new sample of 2,500 persons has been taken (i.e. 10000 participants annually). The survey was conducted using standardized telephone interviews in German, French and Italian. RESULTS: Approximately half of the working population in Switzerland is exposed to second-hand smoke in the workplace. In restaurants, cafes and bars, nearly 9 out of 10 people are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Non-smokers in particular report annoyance with second-hand smoke. CONCLUSIONS: The Swiss population has a high level of exposure to second-hand smoke. There is a need for public health educational programs and legislation aiming at banning smoking in public areas and in the workplace.

Smoking is ok as long as I eat healthily: Compensatory Health Beliefs and their role for intentions and smoking within the Health Action Process Approach.

Compensatory Health Beliefs (CHBs) are defined as beliefs that the negative consequences of unhealthy behaviours can be compensated for by engaging in healthy behaviours. CHBs have not yet been investigated within a framework of a behaviour change model, nor have they been investigated in detail regarding smoking. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate on a theoretical basis whether smoking-specific CHBs, as a cognitive construct, add especially to the prediction of intention formation but also to changes in smoking behaviour over and above predictors specified by the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). The sample comprised 385 adolescent smokers (mean age: 17.80). All HAPA-specific variables and a smoking-specific CHB scale were assessed twice, 4 months apart. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling. Smoking-specific CHBs were significantly negatively related to the intention to stop smoking over and above HAPA-specific predictors. Overall, 39% of variance in the intention to quit smoking was explained. For the prediction of smoking, CHBs were not able to explain variance over and above planning and self-efficacy. Thus, smoking-specific CHBs seem mainly important in predicting intentions but not behaviour. Overall, the findings contribute to the understanding of the role of smoking-specific CHBs within a health-behaviour change model.

Evaluating the decisional balance construct of the Transtheoretical Model: are two dimensions of pros and cons really enough?

OBJECTIVES: The Transtheoretical Model of behavior change (TTM) postulates that behavior change is a process involving progress through five distinct stages of change (SOC). One of the key components for progress to a later stage is decisional balance (pros and cons of changing to the target behavior). The goal of the present study is to test the two dimensions of decisional balance as postulated in the TTM in the context of exercising behavior. METHODS: The analyses are based on data from an online survey of 266 freshman students at the University of Zurich; participants self-reported their frequency of exercising and their weighing of the importance of 49 pros and cons of exercising. RESULTS: The results indicate that a two-dimensional solution of decisional balance is insufficient. The analysis of pros and cons of exercising yielded a seven-factor solution with in part different progressions through the SOC. CONCLUSIONS: With the subdivision into different pros and cons, intervention programs can be developed that better match the needs of participants in terms of fostering and decreasing the most important pros and cons of exercising.

Smoking-specific compensatory health beliefs and the readiness to stop smoking in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Compensatory health beliefs (CHBs) are defined as beliefs that negative consequences of unhealthy behaviours can be compensated for by engaging in other health behaviours. CHBs have not yet been investigated in detail regarding smoking. Smoking might cause cognitive dissonance in smokers, if they are aware that smoking is unhealthy and simultaneously hold the general goal of staying healthy. Hence, CHBs are proposed as one strategy for smokers to resolve such cognitive dissonance. The aim of the present study was to develop a scale to measure smoking-specific CHBs among adolescents and to test whether CHBs are related to a lower readiness to stop smoking. DESIGN: For the main analyses, cross-sectional data were used. In order to investigate the retest-reliability follow-up data, 4 months later were included in the analysis. METHOD: A newly developed scale for smoking-specific CHBs in adolescents was tested for its validity and reliability as well as its predictive value for the readiness to stop smoking in a sample of 244 smokers (15-21 years) drawn from different schools. Multilevel modelling was applied. RESULTS: Evidence was found for the reliability and validity of the smoking-specific CHB scale. Smoking-specific CHBs were significantly negatively related to an individual's readiness to stop smoking, even after controlling for other predictors such as self-efficacy or conscientiousness. CONCLUSIONS: CHBs may provide one possible explanation for why adolescents fail to stop smoking.

Predicting behavioral intentions and physical exercise: a test of the health action process approach at the intrapersonal level.

OBJECTIVE: Theories of health behavior are usually tested on the between-person level. Associations between variables on the between- and the within-person level, however, can differ substantially. Thus, in order to better understand intrapersonal processes in the domain of health behavior, studies applying within-person analyses are needed. This study tested the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) on the within- and between-person level in the context of physical exercise. DESIGN: Participants were 265 first-year students who completed nine online questionnaires every second week. Data were analyzed by focusing on intrapersonal associations applying multilevel modeling. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intentions for physical exercise and self-reported physical exercise served as main outcome measures. RESULTS: Analyses mainly confirm associations specified by the HAPA at the intrapersonal level: outcome expectancies and self-efficacy, but not risk awareness, were positively associated with intentions for physical exercise. Physical exercise in turn was positively associated with intentions, self-efficacy, action control, but not with action planning. CONCLUSION: The HAPA could be confirmed on the within-person level. Future studies should focus on testing other theories of health behavior at the within-person level.