Safe and active life as pupils’ experience

Survey study for 5th and 7th grade students in Turku

DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION•Data is collected in April and May 2011. •It consists of 864 answers:

• The survey was submitted to 50 % of 5th and 7th grade students in Turku elementary schools.• Respense rate was 66 % (5th grade 73 %, 7th grade 53 %).• 33 schools or school units; 26 lower elementary schools and 7 upper elementary schools.

5th grade 7th grade Total

Girls 239 187 426

Boys 224 188 412

Total 463 357

PART I. LIFESTYLE ACTIVITY

How children spend their time after school? Are there differences between 5th

and 7th graders’ activities?

Spending free time: differences between 5th and 7th graders

1,23

1,89

2,21

2,84

3,08

2,83

3,78

3,75

4,01

3,78

1,55

1,77

2,26

2,77

2,63

2,99

3,28

3,71

3,79

4,08

0 1 2 3 4 5

Schools' free time activities***

Using computer for homework or searching information

Outside activities alone

Being alone at home

Using mobile phone***

Doing homework***

Screen time' (TV, video games, computer etc.)***

Outside activities with friends

Spending time (indoors) with friends**

Being at home with family***

5th graders 7th graders

How much time do you spend daily doing … ?0 = not at all1 = not every day2 = 1 hour or less3 = 2-3 hours4 = 4-5 hours5 = more than 5 hours

*** p<0,001** p<0,01* p<0,05

20,3 %

21,4 %

27,8 %

30,5 %

19,3 %

27,0 %

31,1 %

22,6 %

0 % 20 % 40 % 60 %

5 days or more

3-4 days

1-2 days

Not at all

5th graders 7ht graders

How many days a week do you participate some organized hobby on your leisure time?(p<0,05)

Almost one third of 7th graders and 23 % of 5th graders haven’t got a regular, weekly hobby.

In both age groups, the proportion of most active kids is about 20 percent.

PART II. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

a) Relations with friends, family and school personnel

b) Self-esteem, social competence and loneliness

HOW EASY OR DIFFICULT IS IT FOR YOU TO TALK TO … ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE BOTHERING YOU?1 = very easy 2 = easy 3 = difficult 4 = very difficult / I don’t have this person

Who 5th graders turn to?1.Mother 5. Siblings2.Friends 6. Grandparents3.Father 7. School Nurse4.Classmates 8. Teacher

And 7th graders?1.Friends 5. Grandparents2.Mother 6. School Nurse3.Siblings 7. Teachers4.Father / Classmates

*** p<0,001** p<0,01* p<0,05

MY BEST FRIENDS ARE IN THE…

RELATIONS WITH TEACHERSDespite the fact that both 5th and 7th graders tend to turn to family and friends and NOT teachers when they have difficulties…

…they are, in average, considerably satisfied with their relations with teachers.

In average, 5th graders think more positively of their teachers than 7th graders.

1 = Strongly disagree2 = Somewhat disagree3 = Neither agree or disagree4 = Somewhat agree5 = Strongly agree

*** p<0,001** p<0,01* p<0,05

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN KIDS AND PARENTS In average, kids think positively about the communication between their parents and themselves; 5th graders more so than 7th graders.

The biggest differences (p<0,01) are between 5th grade girls’ and 7th grade boys’ opinions.

In the last statement there are no significant differences.

1 = Strongly disagree2 = Somewhat disagree3 = Neither agree or disagree4 = Somewhat agree5 = Strongly agree

SELF ESTEEM (ROSENBERG 1968)The self esteem indicator in this survey is a modified version of Rosenberg (1968). We used 4 of Rosenberg’s 7 statements:

• I feel I’m worth at least as much as anyone else.• I believe I have many good qualities.• I can do things as well as other people.• All in all, I’m happy with myself.

There were no big differences in 5th and 7th graders’ self esteem.

Girls seem to have a lower self esteem than boys in both 5th and 7th grade (p<0,001).

PEER NETWORK AND DYADIC LONELINESS SCALE (PNDL)

Social loneliness• Lack of friends to spend time with

”I feel I fit in well / badly with other people.””I feel I’m often / seldom accepted by others.””I feel comfortable / bored with others.””I usually have / don’t have friends to hang around with.””I feel many / few people like me.”

7-8 % of students suffer from it. Gender doesn’t make a difference. There’s no big difference between 5th and 7th graders.

Emotional loneliness• Lack of a special person to share your

thoughts with”I have / don’t have a very close friend.””I can /can’t share all my thoughts with someone.””I have / haven’t got a friend who’ll always care about me.””I know I am / I wish i was important to someone ””I’m very seldom / often lonely because I have / don’t havevery best friend.”

7-8 % of students suffer from it, boys more so than girls.There’s no big difference between 5th and 7th graders.

Social and emotional loneliness are connected to each other but they are (partially) separate phenomena. - 58 % of students don’t suffer from either of them- 3 % suffer from both of them - 2 % suffer from only social loneliness and not emotional loneliness- 2 % suffer from only emotional loneliness and not social loneliness- The rest are different combinations of intermediate forms.

PART III. SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School and class climate, participation, togetherness, feeling

of safety at school.

INDICATORS OF SCHOOL COMMUNITY (KONU 2002) PART 1

Participation• Pupils’ opinions are taken into account in common questions.• In our school, pupils participate making school rules.• Pupils can organize activities (feasts, breaktime activities,

happenings…) • Pupils are encouraged to be active.

School climate• I feel good at school.• Most of pupils in our school can be trusted.• I can usually be sure that other pupils have good intentions

towards me.• It’s important for me to be in this particular school.• We have a good climate among teachers and pupils.• Most pupils think only of themselves. *• Only a few pupils in my school can be fully trusted. *• Many pupils don’t care how others feel. *

* The values of the negative statements were turned over (1 = 5, 2 = 4 etc.)

Class climate• All are equal in our class.• Everyone’s thoughts and opinions are taken into

account in our class.• I have good friends in my class.• In our class, different opinions are accepted, we don’t

always have to agree.• We help each other when necessary.• We work well in groups.

Willingness to be a part of the class community

• I aim to improve our class climate.• I want to be active in common activities of my class.• Other people can trust me.

1 = Strongly disagree 2 = Somewhat disagree3 = Neither agree or disagree 4 = Somewhat agree5 = Strongly agree

SCHOOL COMMUNITY (KONU 2002) PART 2

Class climate and own role as a part of it were seen more positively than school climate and pupils’ possibilities to actively participate.

5th graders had more positive opinions about their school and class than 7th graders. This difference was seen in all four indicators (p = 0,000 – 0,003).

HOW MANY PUPILS IN YOUR SCHOOL ARE FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL?

’I FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL’Most pupils in both 5th and 7th grade felt safe at school. 5th graders have again answered more positively than 7th graders (p = 0,005).

8-9 percent of both of our age groups felt unsafe.

”If you feel unsafe, what are you afraid of?”

• being mentally bullied (calling names, being excluded from group, being laughed at etc.)• being physically bullied (school violence)• older pupils• that my things will be stolen• a person mentioned by name• getting low grades• I don’t know

There was only 1 mention of school shootings! (In 2008 data there were several.)