Analysis of the importance of family in the development of sense of coherence during adolescence (original) (raw)
Related papers
Journal of Adolescence, 2013
Using a person-focused approach, the present study sought to identify meaningful constellations of contextual factors that led to predominantly high and low levels of sense of coherence (SOC). Specifically, the contributions of the quality of parent-child relationships, teacher and classmate support, models of behaviour in the peer group, and neighbourhood assets were examined in a representative sample of Spanish adolescents aged 13 to 18 that had taken part in the 2010 edition of the study Health Behaviour in School-aged Children. The quality of parent-child relationships emerged as the main predictor of SOC for the whole sample, but the remaining factors also made significant contributions, which underlines the importance of the simultaneous analysis of the main contexts in adolescents' lives. Additionally, the identified constellations usually included compensatory effects, so no factor should be considered to be completely determining. Interestingly, the role of support at school was different depending on contextual profiles. Ó
Sense of coherence and health behaviour in adolescence
Acta Paediatrica, 2011
Aim: To explore associations of Sense of coherence (SOC) with health behaviour and social competence among 15-year-old adolescents. Methods: Study population is a prospective cohort of a randomized cluster sample of families and their first-born children from southwestern Finland in 1986-1987. In this study, cross-sectional data of the 15-year-olds were used. The present data were based on mailed, pretested questionnaires. The outcome variable, SOC, was based on the 13-item scale of Antonovsky's Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ). The principal explanatory variables were health behaviour, including experienced oral health, and social competence. The statistical analysis was performed using linear regression modelling. Results: Strong SOC of adolescents associated significantly with lighter use of alcohol, being a non-smoker, better care of oral health and better social competence compared with the others. Conclusion: Sense of coherence is a useful tool for identifying adolescents in need of extra support and motivation for their health behaviour.
Obtaining a Hierarchy of Contextual Factors in Shaping the SOC of Male and Female Adolescents
Journal of Happiness Studies, 2013
Sense of coherence (SOC) is an important predictor of health and subjective well-being, but research on the factors that shape SOC development is scarce. Using structural equation modeling, this study obtained a hierarchy of the contributions of several contextual factors to SOC in a representative sample of adolescents (N = 4,943, M age = 15.43) selected for the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey in Spain. Goodness-of-fit indices consistent with good fit, logical parameter estimates and a level of explained variability of 38.2 % were found in the final model. The examination of parameter estimates provided a hierarchy of contextual factors in shaping SOC. Quality of parent-child relationships was the most influential factor and appeared at the top of the hierarchy. Positive models of behavior in the peer group, neighborhood assets and classmate support occupied intermediate positions, and teacher support appeared at the bottom of the hierarchy. Multi-group analysis revealed more commonalities than differences between male and female adolescents, with the exception of teacher support, which seemed to have a higher significance for the SOC of females.
Sense of Coherence in Adolescents and Their Families in a Swedish Speaking Community in Finland
2015
Health behaviours learned in adolescence set precedence for healthy habits that extend throughout the lifespan. During adolescence transitions take place that lay the foundations for health and wellbeing in adulthood. This study is underpinned by two frameworks: Antonovsky’s theory of salutogenesis and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Research evidence within the salutogenic paradigm suggests that both the strength of an individual’s Sense of Coherence (SOC) and the Sense of Family Coherence (SOFC) are linked to positive health outcomes. This study aimed to explore how family life is associated with the development of SOC in adolescents. To achieve this a fully integrated longitudinal mixed method research design was employed. Data were collected through mixed method surveys in three waves and semi-structured family interviews using genograms and ecomaps as data collecting tools. The sample was purposively selected from one school and consisted of Swedish-speaking Finns: ...
Risk and Protective Factors Predictive of Sense of Coherence during Adolescence
Journal of Health Psychology, 2007
This brief report presents a study undertaken to better understand the factors that are related to sense of coherence (SOC) levels among youth. Middle school students (N = 1619) reported on risk and protective factors across ecological domains. Analyses revealed that social support, anger expression, family conflict and neighborhood cohesion were predictors of SOC for both males and females. Community views regarding gang membership was a predictor of SOC only for males, while age was a predictor of SOC only for females. The findings suggest a resiliency and ecological framework may be helpful in understanding SOC in youth.
BMJ open, 2015
Local government concerns over expenditure on social and healthcare are growing. The aim of the present study was to explore the association between a weak 'sense of coherence' (SOC) in teens and their subsequent risk of receiving social and healthcare benefits during young adulthood, and to monitor how SOC developed during this period. Prospective cohort study. North Denmark Region. 773 Pupils from seventh and eighth forms who answered a questionnaire in 1998. Different social benefits (from the Danish DREAM database embracing disbursed public social benefits). Change in SOC score from 1998 to 2010. 722 had answered seven items of the original SOC-13 questionnaire (denoted by SOC-7). Girls with a weak SOC-7 (the lowest 1st quartile) in 1998 had a significantly increased risk of receiving unemployment benefits (RR 1.3 (1.1 to 1.6)), social assistance (RR 1.8 (1.3 to 2.5)) and sickness benefits (RR 1.5 (1.2 to 2.0)) compared with girls with a strong SOC-7. For boys, only mino...
The association between sense of coherence and life satisfaction in adolescents
Quality of Life Research, 2013
Purpose The present paper investigated possible gender and age differences on life satisfaction as well as the association between sense of coherence (SOC) and life satisfaction. The interaction effect of gender by SOC and age by SOC in relation to life satisfaction was also investigated. Methods A total of 1,239 adolescents (13-18 years) from public elementary and secondary schools in Mid-Norway participated in the school-based survey study. Two-way between-groups ANOVA was employed to investigate gender and age differences on life satisfaction, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between SOC and life satisfaction, controlled for gender, age, physical activity, and subjective health.
Sense of coherence in adolescents
2001
The course of sense of coherence (SOC) in adoteso cents over an 18-month-period and the correlation between individua~ variability in the SOC scale scores and physicN end psychological symptoms were examined, Methods: A sample of 341 students from two Swiss senior high schools were {nvestigated by means of questionnaires three times over a period of 18 months, The questionnaire comprised the SOC scNe (SOC-13} and measures of physical and psychological impairment Results: Male adolescents had a significantly higher SOC mee~ score than females, Significant negative correlations between the SOC and the symptom scales were found in both gender~;~ Higher symptom scores correlated with a greater variability of the SOC scores, independent of their sex, individuals with a high SOC score at % showed ~ess variability ir~ the SOC vatues over time than indMduNs with low SOC scores. In adolescents who reveNed 6ow symptom scores the SOC sca~e scores almost reached leve~s seen in adults and remained relatively stab!e over time, Conclusions: The results suggest a certain degree of stabiEty of SOC in middle to ~ate adolescence, Key-Words: Sense of coherence -Physical and psychological symptoms -Adolescents. Phone: ++41-1-255 51 23 Fax: ++41-1-255 43 84
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 2014
Purpose: To analyze the effects of genetic and environmental factors on sense of coherence (SOC) in young adulthood and whether family environment measured in childhood modifies these effects. Methods: SOC was measured at 20-27 years of age in 3193 Finnish twins using the Antonovsky's 13-item short scale. The twins and their parents had rated their emotional family environment independently when the twins were 12 years of age. The data were analyzed using applications of structural linear equation modeling to twin data. Results: Females rated SOC 2.42 points lower than males. Additive genetic factors explained 39% of the variation of SOC in males and 49% in females, whereas the rest of the variation was explained by environmental factors unique to each twin individual. For the dimensions of SOC, the highest genetic correlation was found between comprehensibility and manageability (0.90 in males and 0.97 in females). SOC was strongest in the participants who had reported supportive family atmosphere and low relational tensions to parents in childhood. These participants also had higher genetic variance and lower unique environmental variance of SOC when compared to those who reported emotionally more stressful family environment. The results were similar when we used parental rating of family environment. Conclusion: Genetic factors are important for SOC, but genetic influences are much greater in supportive family environments. This emphasizes the importance of childhood home for the development of strong SOC.
Sense of coherence and emotional health in adolescents
Journal of Adolescence, 2012
The present paper investigates possible gender and age differences on emotional states (state depression and state anxiety) and sense of coherence (SOC) as well as the association between SOC and emotional states. The cross-sectional sectional sample consists of 1209 adolescents 13-18 years from public elementary and secondary schools in Mid-Norway. The results showed that girls reported higher scores on state anxiety and state depression, whereas boys consistently scored higher on SOC in all age groups. SOC was inversely associated with both state depression and state anxiety. An interaction effect of gender by SOC was found on both state depression and state anxiety, where the association was stronger for girls than for boys. Conclusions: The associations found give support for the implications of salutogenic factors in relation to emotional health in adolescents.