This paper provides an extensive literature review of current approaches to sexual consent and demonstrates their insufficiency for teaching higher education students about healthy sex. Their overemphasis on the giving of consent to the detriment of attention to the process of gaining consent, as well as their inappropriate utilisation of…

Health and behavior change programs play a crucial role in improving health behaviors at individual and family levels. However, these programs face challenges with engagement and retention and typically show modest efficacy. Cognitive load theory is an established and highly used educational theory that proposes individuals have a finite capacity…

This report of the development of an intervention in practice outlines the design, delivery, and evaluation of a tailored, school-based, group adolescent sleep intervention utilising youth participation methodology and an intervention mapping protocol as a framework. The intervention also included supplementary video support. The intervention was…

I provide novel evidence on the role of imperfect information in shaping childhood obesity. Between 2003 and 2017, 24 states began requiring schools to perform Body Mass Index assessments on students. Using the 1991 to 2017 National and State Youth Risk Behavior Surveys and a stacked difference-in-differences identification strategy, I show that…

The purpose of this article is to describe the nature of the YAP assessment and the utility for enhancing instruction as well as for school-level monitoring and evaluation. Emphasis is on the results from a brief case study that employed the YAP as part of standardized school assessments to guide program planning and school activity promotion…

While high school students still reported alarming levels of suicide-related feelings, thoughts, and behaviors in 2023, rates were slightly lower than in 2021. However, youth from minoritized backgrounds remain disproportionately likely to experience suicidal ideation and behavior. School psychologists must advocate for continued access to data to…

Low health literacy poses many problems in the public health field and is linked to numerous negative health outcomes, including STIs and unplanned pregnancies. While many interventions focus on giving adolescents and young adults access to comprehensive sex education, these interventions do not necessarily improve sexual health literacy, which is…

Since the reopening of schools after COVID-19, students and staff have been required to wear face masks. Some students, including those with extensive support needs (ESN), may have difficulty in wearing these novel protective garments. Fortunately, researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of several procedures for supporting the wearing of…

Cross country has grown in popularity and provides youth with the ability to put into practice both physical capability and mental strength and preparedness. However, such preparedness can also lead to physical injuries such as shin splints, or mental fatigue, which can lead to dropout and/or burnout. Yoga is an activity that has become…

Over the past year, educators have developed curricula teaching about the COVID-19 pandemic (Reed 2020; Royce 2020; Sadler et al. 2020). Many of these curricula feature computer simulations of epidemic dynamics (Kelter 2020; Sadler et al. 2020). Because an epidemic pattern is an emergent property of interacting human behaviors, it is crucial for…

Understanding the lifestyle changes that authorities have requested or required in response to COVID-19 requires some biological knowledge. Therefore, articulations of intended biology learning at the school level will need to be evaluated, to see if they continue to be fit for purpose in light of the pandemic. This article proposes two principles…

Denise Pope, Sarah Miles, Megan Pacheco, and Caitlin Ciannella explore three major concerns affecting high school students' well-being: stress, sleep deprivation, and lack of belonging. Drawing from research by Challenge Success involving over 270,000 high school students across more than 10 years, they highlight how academic pressure, family…

The release of the 2024 SHAPE America National Health Education Standards provides an updated take on the learning standards used to teach students how to become healthy and well. In this revision, the standards emphasize both individual and collective health and well-being; greater inclusion of strengths, assets, and opportunities to practice and…

High levels of stress among occupational therapy graduate students have led to the adoption of unhealthy coping habits such as poor nutrition, little exercise, and disrupted sleep. In response, many institutions have explored programming and even curricular changes to support student well-being. However, very few are built upon a strong…

Research and data on youth and delinquency is critical for identifying opportunities and developing strategies to support positive development through prevention and intervention. Responses to youth misbehavior by youth-serving systems -- including education, child welfare, behavioral health, and justice systems -- can play an important role in…