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Problematic life situations and symptoms of psychosocial stress in Polish and German adolescents. Primary data of a cross-cultural youth sociological analysis.

Developmental Psychology

Authors(s) / Creator(s)

Abstract

In all industrialized countries the youth phase of life is in rapid transition. Due to economic, social, and cultural changes, the conditions under which the transition from the social status of "child" to the social status of "adult" is accomplished have been radically altered within the past century. This study examines the question of what subjective stresses and strains youths experience are the result of a youth's family life, school life, and leisure activities. Here, the psychosocial effects and consequences of the social detachment process of young people from their parents, the academic performance-based profiling processes in general education, and the diverse social integration problems in regards to free time (mainly mediated via the peer group) was studied in 1,143 German and 957 Polish youths.
Results of the youth surveys (in German and Polish) showed that psychosocial pressures, which are, in both countries, structurally related to the developmental phase of adolescence, follow similar social laws and have largely comparable total effects (see Mansel, Hurrelmann, & Wlodarek, 1991).
Primary data of the study, including the associated codebook, are provided.

Persistent Identifier

https://doi.org/10.5160/psychdata.mljn89le12

Year of Publication

Funding

German Research Foundation

Citation

Mansel, J. (2005). Problematic life situations and symptoms of psychosocial stress in Polish and German adolescents. Primary data of a cross-cultural youth sociological analysis. (Version 1.0.0) [Data and Documentation]. Trier: Research Data Center at ZPID. https://doi.org/10.5160/psychdata.mljn89le12

Study Description

Research Questions/Hypotheses:

Despite the current economic, social and cultural differences in the living conditions of German and Polish young people, the deep social structures of the shape of the life phase in both countries do not differ seriously from each other.

Research Design:

Fully standardised survey instrument (question areas and answer alternatives given); single measurement

Measurement Instruments/Apparatus:

The relevant aspects of the living conditions and psychosocial state of young people were recorded with the help of a standardised survey instrument. The items were usually provided with multi-level response scales (for more information cf. Mansel, Hurrelmann & Wlodarek, 1991).
The Polish version was developed as a complete counterpart to the German version by first carrying out an exact translation, then a careful language check by knowledgeable speakers of both languages and finally a sample survey of 20 Polish adolescents.

Data Collection Method:

Survey in the presence of an investigator

Population:

German young people in grades 7 and 9 and Polish young people in grades 6 and 8

Survey Time Period:

In Germany, first wave of a four-year longitudinal survey; in Poland, first survey of several cross-sectional surveys, but here only the first wave.
Survey period Germany: 1986; two months after the summer holidays.
Survey period Poland: 1989; two months after summer holidays

Sample:

Stratified, systematic sample

Gender Distribution:

46,3% female participants (n=973)
53,7% male participants (n=1126)

Age Distribution: 11 to 19 years

Spatial Coverage (Country/Region/City): Germany; Poland/North Rhine-Westphalia; Poznan/Lippe, Essen; –

Subject Recruitment:

Subjects were interviewed in class.

Sample Size:

2100

Return/Drop Out:

mljn89le12_pd.txt
Text file - 1868 KB
MD5: ebc8a9f5b8654c77748af61fdbf76717
Sharing Level 1 (Scientific Use)
Description: Primary data of the study
mljn89le12_kb.txt
Text file - 143 KB
Sharing Level 1 (Scientific Use)
Description: Codebook of the primary data file mljn89le12_pd.txt
mljn89le12_readme.txt
Text file - 2 KB
Sharing Level 1 (Scientific Use)
Description: Description of the files