Which CoHeReNt members are involved?
Andrea Madarasová Gecková (andrea.geckova@upjs.sk)
Zuzana Dankulincová Veselská, Peter Kolarčik, Lucia Bosáková, Daniela Husárová, Jaroslava Kopčáková, Daniela Fiľakovská Bobáková, Maryna Fedorenko
What does the team do?
The team focuses on on health and health-related behaviour among school-aged children within their social context.
Our team members, as a part of a Slovak national team, are involved in cross-national Health Behaviour in School-aged children (HBSC) The HBSC is an international study of the health and health-related behavior of 11-, 13- and 15-year-old schoolchildren and has been conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization in 50 countries for 40 years. Its goal is to monitor the health and health-related behavior of schoolchildren in their social context. Every four years, approximately half a million schoolchildren participate in the study to obtain data enabling the comparison of the situation in countries and monitoring the current situation and trends in the lives of schoolchildren. This study aimed not only to monitor health and health-related behavior of school-aged children in their social context, but also to deepen the understanding of the mechanisms influencing differences and changes in health. With adolescents making about one sixth of the world’s population, HBSC uses its findings to inform policy and practice to improve the lives of millions of young people.
What methods does the team use?
The team uses predominantly cross-sectional questionnaire-based surveys administered in school, collecting data from pupils as wel as from school principals, based on HBSC methodology. Moreover, objective data on antropometric measures and cardiovascular fitness are collected. There are more than 200 indicators collected and in some of them are followed in several subsequent waves of data collection. Besides of that, semi-structured interviews with adolescents are used to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing their health and mechanisms behind, based on adolescents´ perspectives and experiences.
Vacant PhD positions
Mental health of adolescents in context of school environment – supervisor: Daniela Husárová, PhD
Aim: The aim of the work is to examine the mental health of adolescents and the factors of the school environment that can influence it, using quantitative and qualitative methods.
Anotation: In recent years, the mental health of the current generation of teenagers has been negatively influenced by many factors, not only at the individual level but also at the level of the social context. Therefore, the aim of the work is to examine more closely the individual indicators of mental health, as well as the risk or protective factors of the school environment, which have a significant impact on the health of adolescents. The data obtained through the quantitative HBSC (Health Behavior in School-aged Children) study will be used, supplemented by data obtained by qualitative methods with the application of a participatory approach.
Adolescent mental health in the context of perceived stress and coping strategies – supervisor: Jaroslava Kopčáková, PhD
Aim: The project aims to explore adolescent mental health by combining quantitative and qualitative methods, applying a participatory approach and multidisciplinary international collaboration.
Anotation: The current generation of adolescents faces several socio-economic challenges and crises that impact on their mental health. The psychosocial and behavioral characteristics of adolescents contributing to their mental health will be examined, as well as changes in those characteristics, using four cross-sectional questionnaire studies conducted as part of the international Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study with nationally representative samples of 11- to 15-year-old schoolchildren. Qualitative methods will be used to map key factors influencing mental health, with an emphasis on experiences in the school environment from the perspectives of adolescents and teachers and practitioners. The project aims to provide up-to-date knowledge about the state of the mental health of the current generation of adolescents, which can also be used in the design of various prevention and support programmes and interventions targeting health support of adolescents.
Health and health related behaviour of school-aged children in social context – supervisor: Prof. Andrea Madarasová Gecková, PhD
Aim: To explore health and health related behaviour of school-aged children in their social context.
Anotation: Research studies repeatedly confirm the poorer mental health of adolescents girls compared to boys. One possible explanation is different the degree of perceived social support, the way digital technologies are used, coping strategies or risky behavior. Using cross-sectional data from the HBSC study (Health Behavior in School-aged Children) we will try to verify the connection of selected factors with subjective measures well-being of adolescents. Using qualitative methods to interpret the findings we invite teenagers.
Ongoing PhD studies
M. Fedorenko: Gender differences in mental health of adolescents and the role of digital technologies – supervisor: Prof. Andrea Madarasová Gecková
Aim: The aim is to assess gender differences in mental health of adolescents and explore its association with selected factors.
Anotation: Research studies repeatedly confirm the poorer mental health of adolescents girls compared to boys. One possible explanation is different the degree of perceived social support, the way digital technologies are used, coping strategies or risky behavior. Using cross-sectional data from the HBSC study (Health Behavior in School-aged Children) we will try to verify the connection of selected factors with subjective measures well-being of adolescents. Using qualitative methods to interpret the findings we invite teenagers.
Since: September 2024
PhD Completed PhD thesis
Bittó Urbanová: Adolescents in a digital world: the risks and benefits of the use of digital technology, 2023.
Horaničová: Is school not calling? Adolescents’ experiences at school, contributing factors and consequences for a healthy development, 2023.
Karchynskaya: Adolescents’ engagement in physical activity – measurements, risks and outcomes, 2023.
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J. Kopčáková: Physical activity, screen-based activities and their potential determinants, 2018.
P. Baďura: Healthy adolescence in the context of leisure time: The role of organized and unstructured leisure-time activities, 2018.
D. Husárová: Barriers to active participation of school-aged children, 2017.
J. Holubčíková: Eating habits, body image and health and behavioural problems of adolescents: The role of school and family context, 2016.
L. Pitel: Sociocultural determinants, gender and health-related behaviour in adolescence, 2007-2013, http://irs.ub.rug.nl/ppn/369599624
O. Kalina: Sexual risky behaviour among Slovak adolescents and young adults: social and psychological factors, 2005-2012, http://irs.ub.rug.nl/ppn/353218561
F. Salonna: Health inequalities among Slovak adolescents over time, 2002-2012, http://irs.ub.rug.nl/ppn/345879597
Z. Tomčíková: Parental divorce and adolescent excessive drinking: role of parent-adolescent relationship and other social and psychosocial factors, 2006-2011, http://irs.ub.rug.nl/ppn/332352617
Z. Veselská: Intrapersonal factors, social context and health-related behavior in adolescence, 2006-2010, http://irs.ub.rug.nl/ppn/330592696
M. Sarková: Psychological well-being and self-esteem in Slovak adolescents, 2002-2010, http://irs.ub.rug.nl/ppn/330592173
M. Šléšková Bačíková: Unemployment and the health of Slovak adolescents, 2002-2006.
A. Gecková: Inequality in health among Slovak adolescents, 1997-2002, http://irs.ub.rug.nl/ppn/236175823
Ongoing projects
Mental health among adolescents in the context of current societal challenges
Our research still continues. We are aware that the current generation of adolescents faces several socio-economic challenges and crises that impact their mental health. Our current project “Mental health among adolescents in the context of current societal challenges” aims to explore adolescent mental health by combining quantitative and qualitative methods, applying a participatory approach and multidisciplinary international collaboration. The psychosocial and behavioral characteristics of adolescents contributing to their mental health will be examined, as well as changes in those characteristics, using four cross-sectional questionnaire studies conducted as part of the international Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study in 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 with nationally representative samples of 11- to 15-year-old schoolchildren. Qualitative methods will be used to map key factors influencing mental health, with an emphasis on experiences in the school environment from the perspectives of adolescents and teachers and practitioners.
Funding: Slovak Research and Development Agency under the Contract no. APVV-22-0078.
Past projects
Generation Z – New challenges in youth development
However, the development of new technologies and their utilization in ever-younger children is an unprecedented formational influence and we decided to pay attention on this topic within project Generation Z – new challenges in youth development. The aim of this project was to investigate the specifics of the maturing Generation Z through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods with application of a participatory approach and multidisciplinary international cooperation. We surveyed psycho-social and behavioural characteristics of pupils as well as their changes with the use of data obtained in the scope of the HBSC studies conducted in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 on nationally representative samples of 11 to 15-year-old pupils belonging to Generation Z.
Funding: Research and Development Support Agency under Contract No. APVV-18-0070.
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