Exploring Adolescents’ School Experience in Malta

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62695/QQHL8084

Keywords:

Adolescents, School satisfaction, School-related stress, Schoolwork pressure, Teacher support, Classmate support, Perceived academic performance

Abstract

Adolescents who experience school as a nurturing and supportive environment have better educational outcomes, health and wellbeing (Currie et al., 2004; Rathmann et al., 2018; Coelho & Dell’Aglio, 2019; WHO, 2020). Hence, schools must consider their impact on adolescent wellbeing and development (Cefai et al., 2021). This paper delves into the school experience of secondary school students in Malta, specifically in Years 7, 9 and 11. It analyses some of the data collected as part of the 2022 Health Behaviour in School Children study (HBSC): school satisfaction and school-related pressure and stress, perceived academic performance, support from teachers and classmates; how these interrelate and whether they are underpinned by demographic factors (school year and biological sex).

Keywords

Adolescents, school satisfaction, school-related stress, schoolwork pressure, teacher support, classmate support, perceived academic performance

Author Biographies

Jeannine Vassallo, Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation

Jeannine Vassallo is currently employed as Senior Manager within the Education Ministry’s Research Unit. Jeannine has worked in the delivery, regulation, research and policymaking of welfare and education services and at the House of Representatives. Jeannine holds a B.A. (Hons) Anthropology (Melit.), M.Sc. Social Research (Edin.), M.Sc. Integrative Health and Social Care (Derby) and CMI Level 7 Extended Diploma.

Maria Pace, Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation

Maria Pace is currently employed as an Education Officer within the Education Ministry’s Research Unit. Maria has previously worked as a primary school teacher and a nurture group teacher. She also lectures educators. Maria holds a B.Ed. Primary (Hons) (Melit.), an M.Ed. SEBD (Melit.), a Master in Applied Education Leadership (MAEL) (Melit.) and an Ed.D. in Children, Schools and Families (Sheffield).

References

Anniko, M. K., Boersma, K., van Wijk, N. P. L., Byrne, D., & Tillfors, M. (2018). Development of a Shortened Version of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ-S): Construct validity and sex invariance in a large sample of Swedish adolescents. Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, 6(1), 4–15.

Basch, C. E. (2011). Healthier Students are Better Learners: A Missing Link in School Reforms to Close the Achievement Gap. Journal of School Health, 81(5), 279–287. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2011.00632.x

Bennett, S., Shafran, R., Coughtrey, A., Walker, S., & Heyman, I. (2015). Psychological interventions for mental health disorders in children with chronic physical illness: a systematic review. Archives of disease in childhood, 100(4), 308-316. https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2014-307474

Blackburn, R., Ajetunmobi, O., McGrath-Lone, L., Hardelid, P., Shafran, R., Gilbert, R., & Wijlaars, L. (2021). Hospital admissions for stress-related presentations among school-aged adolescents during term time versus holidays in England: Weekly time series and retrospective cross-sectional analysis. BJPsych Open, 7, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2021.1058

Blanca, M. J., Escobar, M., Lima, J. F., Byrne, D., & Alarcón, R. (2020). Psychometric properties of a short form of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ-14). Psicothema, 32(2), 261–267. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2019.288. PMID: 32249753

Cefai, C., Simões, C., & Caravita, S. (2021). A systemic, whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing in schools in the EU (NESET report). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2766/50546

Coelho, C. C., & Dell’Aglio, D. D. (2019). School climate and school satisfaction among high school adolescents. Psicologia: Teoria e Practica, 21(1), 265–281. https://doi.org/10.5935/1980/6906/psicologica.v21n1p265-281

Cosma, A., Stevens, G., Martin, G., Duinhof, E. L., Walsh, S. D., García-Moya, I., Kolto, A., Gobina, I., Canale, N., Catunda, C., Inchley, J., & de Looze, M. (2020). Cross-national time trends in adolescent mental wellbeing from 2002 to 2018 and the explanatory role of schoolwork pressure. Journal of Adolescent Health, 66, 550–558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.02.010

Currie, C., Gabhainn, N., Godeau, E., Roberts, C., Smith, R., & the HBSC Research Network. (2008). Inequalities in young people’s health: Health Behaviour in School-aged Children international report from the 2005/2006 survey. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/326503

Currie, C., Roberts, C., Morgan, A., Smith, R., Settertobulte, W., Samdal, O., Barnekow Rasmussen, V. (Eds.). (2004). Young People’s Health in Context. Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study: International Report from the 2001/2002 Survey. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Currie, C., Zanotti, C., Morgan, A., Currie, D., de Looze, M., Roberts, C., Samdal, O., Smith, O., Barnekow, V. (2012). Social determinants of health and wellbeing among young people, Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: International report from the 2009/2010 survey. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Darviri, C., & Hadjichristou, C. (2014). Adolescent Stress Questionnaire: Reliability and validity of the Greek version and its description in a sample of high school (lyceum) students. Journal of Adolescence, 37(4), 661–671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2014.02.001

De Vriendt, T., Clays, E., Moreno, L.A., Bergman, P., Vicente-Rodriguez, G., Nagy, E., Dietrich, S., Manios, Y., De Henauw, S., HELENA Study Group (2011). Reliability and validity of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire in a sample of European adolescents - the HELENA study. BMC Public Health, 11(717). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-717

Diener, E., & Crandall, R. (1978). Ethics in Social and Behavioural Research. University of Chicago Press.

Diseth, A., & Samdal, O. (2014). Autonomy support and achievement goals as predictors of perceived school performance and life satisfaction in the transition between lower and upper secondary school. Social Psychology of Education, 17, 269–291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-013-9244-4

Ertanir, B., Rietz, C., Graf, U., & Kassis, W. (2021). A cross-national validation of the shortened version of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ-S) among adolescents from Switzerland, Germany, and Greece. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 619493. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.619493

Eugene, D., Du, X., & Kim, K. (2021). School climate and peer victimization among adolescents: A moderated mediation model of school connectedness and parental involvement. Children and Youth Services Review, 121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105854

European Commission. (2019). Integrating Students from Migrant Backgrounds into Schools in Europe: National Policies and Measures. https://doi.org/10.2797/222073

Forrest, C. B., Bevans, K. B., Riley, A. W., Crespo, R., & Louis, T. A. (2013). Health and school outcomes during children’s transition into adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52(2), 186–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.06.019

Franco, K., Baumler, E., Torres, E. D., Lu, Y., Wood, L., & Temple, J. R. (2022). The link between school climate and mental health among an ethnically diverse sample of middle school youth. Current Psychology, 42, 18488–18498. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03016-y

García-Moya, I., Brooks, F., & Moreno, C. (2020). A new measure for the assessment of student-teacher connectedness in adolescence. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 37(5), 357–367. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000621

García-Moya, I., Corell, M., Paniagua, C., Vaez, M., & Löfstedt, P. (2021). School stress and health complaints: Testing the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire in Spain and Sweden. European Journal of Public Health, 31(Supplement_3), ckab164.310. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckab164.310

Graham, L. J., Gillett-Swan, J., Killingly, C., & Van Bergen, P. (2022). Does It Matter If Students (Dis)like School? Associations Between School Liking, Teacher and School Connectedness, and Exclusionary Discipline. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 825036. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.825036

Gustafsson, J., Lyyra, N., Jasinskaja-Lahti, I., Simonsen, N., Lahti, H., Kulmala, M., Ojala, K., & Paallari, L. (2023). Mental health profiles of Finnish adolescents before and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 17(54). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00591-1

Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2010). Classroom environments and developmental processes. In J. L. Meece & J. S. Eccles (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Schools, Schooling, and Human Development. Routledge.

Hong, J. S., Hunter, S. C., Kim, J., Piquero, A. R., & Narvey, C. (2021). Racial Differences in the Applicability of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model for Adolescent Bullying Involvement. Deviant Behavior, 42(3), 404–424. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2019.1680086

Inchley, J., Currie, D., Budisavljevic, S., Torsheim, T., Jåstad, A., Cosma, A., & WHO Regional Office for Europe. (2020). Spotlight on adolescent health and wellbeing. Findings from the 2017/2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey in Europe and Canada. International report. Volume 1. Key findings. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe. https://doi.org/10.18356/9789289055000

Inchley, J., Currie, D., Young, T., Oddrun, S., Torsheim, T., Augustson, L., Mathison, F., Aleman-Diaz, A., Weber, M., & Barnekow, V. (Eds.). (2016). Growing up unequal: Gender and socioeconomic differences in young people’s health and wellbeing. Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: International report from the 2013/2014 survey (Health Policy for Children and Adolescents, No. 7). Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe. [ISBN: 9789289051361].

Izaguirre, L. A., Rodriguez-Fernandez, A., & Fernandez-Zabala, A. (2023). Perceived academic performance explained by school climate, positive psychological variables and life satisfaction. British Journal of Educational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12557

Kaczmarek, M., & Trambacz-Oleszak, S. (2021). School-Related Stressors and the Intensity of Perceived Stress Experienced by Adolescents in Poland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(22), 11791.

Karkada, S., & Pai, M. S. (2016). Concept of Health Promoting School. Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences, 2(2), 65–68.

King, N., Davison, C. M., & Pickett, W. (2021). Development of a dual-factor measure of adolescent mental health: An analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2014 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study. BMJ Open, 11. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041489

Kinley, J., Feizi, S., & Elgar, F. J. (2023). Adolescent mental health in military families: Evidence from the Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 114(6), 651–658. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-023-00758-5

Klik, K. A., Cardenas, D., & Reynolds, K. J. (2022). School climate, school identification and student outcomes: A longitudinal investigation of student wellbeing. The British Psychological Society, 93, 806–824. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12597

Klingberg, S., Andersson, G., & Gustafsson, M. (2019). The shortened version of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ-S; Sweden): A validation study in United Kingdom adolescents. Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 7(1), 81–87.

Lima, J. F., Alarcón, R., Escobar, M., Fernández-Baena, F. J., Muñoz, Á. M., & Blanca, M. J. (2017). Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ-S). Psychological Assessment, 29(10), e1–e12. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000516

Löfstedt, P., García-Moya, I., Corell, M., Paniagua, C., Samdal, O., Valimaa, R., Lyyra, N., Currie, D., & Rasmussen, M. (2020). School Satisfaction and School Pressure in the WHO European Region and North America: An Analysis of Time Trends (2002-2018) and Patterns of Co-occurrence in 32 Countries. Journal of Adolescent Health, 66, 559–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.03.007

López-Gil, J. F., Mesas, A. E., Álvarez-Bueno, C., Pascual-Morena, C., Saz-Lara, A., & Cavero-Redondo, I. (2022). Association Between Eating Habits and Perceived School Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study Among 46,455 Adolescents From 42 Countries. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, 797415.

Mariotti, A. (2015). The effects of chronic stress on health: New insights into the molecular mechanisms of brain–body communication. Future Science, 1(3), FSO.15.21. https://doi.org/10.4144/FSO.15.21

Marquez, J., & Main, G. (2021). Can Schools and Education Policy Make Children Happier? A Comparative Study in 33 Countries. Child Indicators Research, 14, 283–339. DOI: 10.1007/s12187-020-09758-0

McKay, M., Andretta, J., & Perry, J. (2019). The shortened version of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ-S; Sweden): A validation study in United Kingdom adolescents. Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 7(1), 81–87.

Medeiros, E. R., Rebouças, D. G. D. C., Paiva, A. C. S., Nascimento, C. P. A. D., Silva, S. Y. B. E., & Pinto, E. S. G. (2018). Studies evaluating of health interventions at schools: An integrative literature review. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 26, e3008. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.2463.3008

Ministry for Health. (2010). Health Behaviour Study in School-Aged Children: World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborative Cross-National Survey. Malta

Moksnes, U. K., & Espnes, G. A. (2011). Self-esteem and life satisfaction in adolescents – gender and age as potential moderators. Quality of Life Research, 22, 2921–2928. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-013-0427-4

Moksnes, U. K., & Espnes, G. A. (2011). Evaluation of the Norwegian version of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ‐N): Factorial validity across samples. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 52(6), 601-608.

Moore, G. F., Littlecott. H. J., Evans. R., Murphy. S., Hewitt. G., & Fletcher. A. (2017). School composition, school culture and socio economic inequalities in young people’s health: Multi-level analysis of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey in Wales. British Educational Research Journal, 43(2), 310–329. Doi: 10.1002/berj.3265

Moustaka, E., Bacopoulou, F., Manousou, K., Kanaka-Gantenbein, C., Chrousos, G. P., & Darviri, C. (2023). Educational Stress among Greek Adolescents: Associations between Individual, Study and School-Related Factors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064692

OECD. (2023). Education at a Glance 2023: OECD Indicators. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/e13bef63-en

Ogundele, M. O. (2018). Behavioural and emotional disorders in childhood: A brief overview for paediatricians. World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics, 7(1), 9–26. https://doi.org/10.5409/wjcp.v7.i1.9

Rathmann, K., Herke, M., Heilmann, K., Kinnunen, J. M., Rimpela, A., Hurrelmann, K., & Richter, M. (2018). Perceived school climate, academic wellbeing, and school-aged children’s self-rated health: A mediator analysis. European Journal of Public Health, 28(6), 1012–1018. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky089

Rudasill, M. K., Snyder, K. E., Levinson, H., & Adelson, J. L. (2018). Systems view of school climate: A theoretical framework for research. Educational Psychology Review, 30, 35–60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-017-9401-y

Sari, N. T. I. (2017). Student School Satisfaction and Academic Stress. 3rd Asean Conference On Psychology, Counseling & Humanities From Research to Practice: Embracing the Diversity Malang, October 21-22, 2017.

Shek, D. T. L., & Li, X. (2016). Perceived school performance, life satisfaction, and hopelessness: A 4-year longitudinal study of adolescents in Hong Kong. Social Indicators Research, 126(2), 921–934. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-015-0904-y

Telef, B. B., Arslan, G., Mert, A., & Kalafat, S. (2015). The mediation effect of school satisfaction in the relationship between teacher support, positive affect and life satisfaction in adolescents. Educational Research and Reviews, 10(12), 1633–1640. https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR2015.2282

Vaiciunas, T., & Smigelskas, K. (2019). The role of school-related wellbeing for adolescent subjective health complaints. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(9), 1577. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091577

van Loon, A. W. G., Creemers, H. E., Beumer, W. Y., Okorn, A., Saab, N., Miers, A. C., Westenberg, P. M., & Asscher, J. J. (2020). Can Schools Reduce Adolescent Psychological Stress? A Multilevel Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of School-Based Intervention Programs. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49, 1127–1145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01201-5

Vašíčková, J., Hollein, T., Sigmund, E., Salonna, F., & Boberová, Z. (2017). Trends in perception of psychosocial school environment: HBSC study 2002-2014 in the Czech Republic. Central European Journal of Public Health, 25(Supplement 1), S26-S31. https://doi.org/10.21101/cejph.a4823

Vassallo, J. (2024). Methodology used in Malta’s 2022 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (HBSC). https://www.researchandinnovation.gov.mt

Wiklund, M., Malmgren-Olsson, E., Ohman, A., Bergstrom, E., & Fjellman-Wiklund, A. (2012). Subjective health complaints in older adolescents are related to perceived stress, anxiety and gender – A cross-sectional school study in Northern Sweden. Public Health, 12.

World Health Organization [WHO]. (n.d.). Adolescent health. https://www.who.int/health-topics/adolescent-health#tab=tab_1

World Health Organisation [WHO]. (2012). Social determinants of health and wellbeing among young people: Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) Study: International Report from the 2009/2010 Survey. ISBN:9789289014236

World Health Organization [WHO]. (2016). Growing up unequal: Gender and socioeconomic differences in young people’s health and wellbeing: Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study International Report from the 2013/2014 Survey. ISBN: 9789289051361.

World Health Organization [WHO]. (2020). Health behaviours among adolescents in Romania: Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study 2018. Andorra.

Downloads

Published

05-05-2024

How to Cite

Vassallo, J., & Pace, M. (2024). Exploring Adolescents’ School Experience in Malta. Malta Journal of Education, 4(1), 139–164. https://doi.org/10.62695/QQHL8084

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.