A total of 852 adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age were evaluated (M = 14.86, SD = 1.67), randomly selected among a population of secondary school and Baccalaureate students. We applied an “ad hoc” questionnaire on sociodemographic data and the Self-Report of Reasons for the Practice of Physical Exercise (AMPEF) and Self-Report of Barriers to the Practice of Physical Exercise (ABPEF) questionnaires. The results obtained show a prevalence of competition, social recognition, and challenge as motivational factors, and fatigue or laziness as barriers to physical exercise among adolescents. With respect to gender, boys show a greater presence of motivations towards doing physical exercise, while girls show more barriers. In conclusion, the motivational factors and barriers interact and support each other for a better predisposition towards physical exercise.

Eating disorders are mental health illnesses that are influenced by various individual, family and social factors. The present study aimed to examine the influence of self‐esteem and socialisation through social networks on eating disorder behaviours in adolescence. The sample was made up of 721 secondary school students (49.1% girls). The sample age ranged between 12 and 18 years (M = 13.89, SD = 1.37). Participants completed the Eating Attitudes Test‐26 (EAT‐26) to measure disordered eating attitudes and behaviours, the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale and the ESOC‐39 scale, which measures socialisation through social networks, in addition to a brief initial sociodemographic survey. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were carried out with MANOVA. Low self‐esteem was shown to increase behaviours linked to eating disorders globally. Likewise, high socialisation through social networks was also associated with a general increase in eating disorders during adolescence. The findings of the study provide empirical support for the need to develop prevention strategies that address the improvement in self‐esteem and adequate socialisation through social networks during adolescence. The development of effective interventions along these lines could be helpful to treat the behaviours and attitudes that are observed in eating disorders.

Gender is an essential aspect of school violence in students of compulsory secondary education (CSE). The objective of this study was to analyze, using a cross-sectional design, gender differences in perceptions of school violence measures through the questionnaire of perceived school violence (CUVE-R-ESO). The questionnaire was administered to 4467 students (50.3% female) of 1 ° to 4 ° of that with a range of age between 12 and 16 years (M = 13.81; DT = 1.38). The results show a slight prevalence of women over men in actions that make up the different types of school violence. They also revealed significant differences between the two, attributing the guys are more related to violence perpetrated by teachers to students, physical violence indirect, direct physical violence or social exclusion, and the girls with the verbal violence, students to teachers and classroom disruption. Finally, the contribution of gender as a predictor variable in school violence is significant but scarce. In conclusion, it reveals the need of devising programmes of prevention or intervention that take into account the variable gender.

El objetivo de este estudio fue conocer el nivel de inteligencia emocional en el periodo adolescente y analizar la existencia de diferencias significativas que puedan darse en la percepción, comprensión y regulación emocional en función de determinados factores personales y escolares. Participaron 4467 estudiantes de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO) de 12 a 16 años (M: 13.81; DT: 1.38) de la Comunidad Autónoma de Galicia, a los cuales se administró el instrumento Trait Meta MoodScale (TMMS-24). Los resultados reflejan niveles moderados en la inteligencia emocional de los adolescentes, con una mayor regulación emocional que comprensión y, sobre todo, percepción emocional. Además, los análisis multivariantes muestran diferencias significativas en el género, las mujeres presentan mayor percepción emocional y los hombres lo hacen en comprensión y regulación emocional; edad, a mayor edad mejor percepción emocional, mientras que una adolescencia más temprana es indicativa de mejor comprensión y regulación emocional; familia: los adolescentes presentan niveles de regulación emocional más óptimos si viven en familias biparentales; expediente académico, el alumnado que siempre ha aprobado apunta una mejor comprensión y regulación emocional, siendo además dicha comprensión emocional superior en el alumnado repetidor; curso, mejor comprensión y regulación emocional en el primer curso de ESO, mientras la percepción emocional es superior en tercero de ESO; tipo de centro, mayor percepción y regulación emocional en el alumnado que estudia en centros concertados; y ubicación de centro, los núcleos rurales favorecen la percepción y regulación emocional, mientras los urbanos lo hacen en comprensión emocional. En conclusión, se evidencia que la inteligencia emocional está mediatizada por factores personales y escolares en la población adolescente, los cuales deberían servir al profesorado en el establecimiento de estrategias para su incorporación a los centros de enseñanza.

Education is a complex phenomenon that needs to address the motivational dimension of students. The objective of the study is to discover and check, by the opinion of secondary school students, the motivation level (intrinsic, extrinsic) of Galician young, as well as determining which of the social and school variables affect significantly that motivation. For it, there was realized a quantitative and descriptive study, relating the variables of students and the educational center with the motivation measured by the CMEA (Section motivation) questionnaire. It was found that the Galician teenagers have more extrinsic motivation that intrinsic motivation, showing significant variations depending on the age, education, course and province variables. Also, confirmed by Scheffé the existence of solid reasons to support higher levels of motivation in younger teenagers who have good academic records, enrolled in the first years of compulsory secondary education and living in small towns. In conclusion, no doubt that motivation is a variable of great significance in personal and contextual fit in the adolescent population.Keywords: Intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, teenagers, secondary education.Resumen:La educación es un fenómeno complejo que necesita atender la dimensión motivacional del alumnado. El objetivo del estudio es descubrir y constatar, mediante la opinión del alumnado de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, el nivel de motivación (intrínseca, extrínseca) de los jóvenes gallegos, además de determinar las variables socioescolares que inciden significativamente en la motivación. Para ello se realizó un estudio de tipo cuantitativo descriptivo, relacionando las variables del alumnado y el centro educativo con la motivación medida por el cuestionario CMEA (Sección motivación). Se encontró que los adolescentes gallegos poseen una mejor motivación extrínseca que intrínseca, presentando variaciones significativas en función de las variables, edad, estudios, curso y provincia. Además, se confirma a través de Scheffé la existencia de razones sólidas para sustentar mayores niveles de motivación en adolescentes de menor edad que tienen buenos expedientes académicos, cursan los primeros cursos de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria y residen en poblaciones pequeñas. En conclusión, no cabe la menor duda de que la motivación es una variable de gran calado en el ajuste personal y contextual en la población adolescente.Palabras clave: Motivación intrínseca, motivación extrínseca, adolescencia, educación secundaria.

Relations between assertiveness in adolescents' social behavior and demographic variables were assessed in 4,943 Spanish adolescents, ages 12 to 17 years, enrolled in 32 schools for Compulsory Secondary Education. Province of residence, school size, age, grade, and academic focus were statistically significant sources of variance in assertiveness scores. All effects were small. Patterns in responses indicate the items should be reviewed to improve the measure for adolescents, and as a tool for addressing teens' social competence in real life situations.