Papers by Joseph Ssenyonga
Frontiers in psychology, May 14, 2024
Objective: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are established risk factors for undesirable cons... more Objective: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are established risk factors for undesirable consequences in adolescence and early adulthood, including substance use and a lack of self-control. Based on the Social Bonds Theory (SBT), this study aims to expand our knowledge of the pathways from ACEs and self-control to substance use in adolescence and early adulthood. Methods: The extent to which self-control mediates the association between ACEs and substance use was examined in a cross-sectional survey of 358 adolescents and young adults (N = 234, 65.5% girls, mean age 17.7, SD 0.58, range 15-18). Data were gathered using the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE-10) questionnaire, the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10), and the 10item self-control scale to assess childhood adversity, substance use, and selfcontrol, respectively. Results: ACEs were widely reported and significantly associated with substance use and a lack of self-control. Self-control strongly predicted substance use, independent of ACEs. Among those reporting no ACEs, one to two, three to four, and five or more, there were significant variations in the respondents' substance use (F (3, 400) = 12.69, p = 0.001). Self-control explained 51.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 41, 61%) of the associations between ACEs and substance use as assessed by linear regression. Conclusion: Self-control is key to understanding why adolescents and young adults with a history of childhood adversity indulge in substance use. Therefore, there is a need to advocate for psychological interventions such as cognitive and behavioural therapy that have demonstrated efficacy in promoting selfcontrol in adolescents and young adults.
International Journal of School & Educational Psychology
Child Abuse & Neglect, Dec 1, 2019
Background: Despite global eଏorts to end violence against children in all settings, reports revea... more Background: Despite global eଏorts to end violence against children in all settings, reports reveal that violence against children is still highly prevalent, especially in low-and middle-income countries. Violence in childhood is associated with a host of negative outcomes, and exposure in one setting can easily spill over to other contexts. For instance, exposure to family violence was not only related to mental health problems but also seems to be a risk factor for peer victimization. Objectives: The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of maltreatment within the family and adolescents' mental health problems and their relation to peer victimization. We also aimed to gain new insights into the perceptions of adolescents concerning maltreatment within their families. Methods: Data were collected from April to November 2017 in a representative sample of 702 students from 12 public secondary schools in Southwestern Uganda who responded to self-administered questionnaires. Results: Overall, 95% of the students experienced at least one type of family violence in the past month. Students (81.3%) had endorsed some level of acceptance of violent discipline as a valid strategy in response to any misbehavior. Maltreatment within the family was related to peer victimization (β = .47) and this relation was mediated by mental health problems (0.002, 95%-CI: 0.001-0.004). Conclusions: The results indicated a high prevalence of maltreatment within Ugandan families that was associated with peer victimization. This underscores the need to implement interventions aiming to reduce maltreatment and violence in order to protect children from potentially negative consequences.
Children and Youth Services Review, Jul 1, 2022
Oxford University Press eBooks, Dec 1, 2022
Although self-regulated learning has received much attention over the past decades, research on h... more Although self-regulated learning has received much attention over the past decades, research on how teacher education students regulate their own learning has been scarce, particularly in third world countries. In the present study, we examined the structural relationships between motivational beliefs, cognitive learning strategies, and academic performance among teacher education students in Uganda. The sample comprised of 1081 students selected from seven universities. Data were collected using several subscales from the modified Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire and were analyzed by structural equation modeling. Cognitive learning strategies fully mediated the relationship between motivational beliefs and academic performance. Motivational beliefs contributed to students' academic performance mainly through influencing their critical thinking and organizational skills. Therefore, interventions to improve teacher education students' academic performance should focus not only on boosting their motivation but also on enhancing their use of cognitive learning strategies.
Advances in educational technologies and instructional design book series, 2020
Globally, there is a high quest for graduate education with many prospective students aspiring to... more Globally, there is a high quest for graduate education with many prospective students aspiring to attain advanced qualifications to obtain a better career path and higher income. Besides, postgraduate education fosters skills development. However, in Uganda, many students enroll in different graduate programs but fail to complete them in the stipulated timeframe. Furthermore, most of the master's students tend to successfully finish their first year which basically has the coursework component yet fail to complete the second year that has the research component. Doctoral students make little progress when it comes to their research. The authors will examine general research preparation, writing, and methodology skills that are critical to graduate studies and research. With the necessary support, mentoring, and planning, graduate research can be made a better process for students and supervisors.
African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, Jan 20, 2022
Trials, Aug 13, 2018
Background: An adolescent's school is often the second most important place for his development a... more Background: An adolescent's school is often the second most important place for his development and education after the home. However, reports highlight the recurrence of the use of violent discipline in schools. There are few school-based interventions that aim at reducing violence at school that have been implemented and evaluated in sub-Saharan Africa. To reduce violent disciplinary measures used at school, we aim to implement and evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the preventative intervention Interaction Competencies with Children for Teachers (ICC-T). Methods/design: The study will be conducted in six randomly selected districts of the Ankole region in southwestern Uganda. We shall randomly select two mixed-day secondary schools from each district that fulfill our inclusion criteria. Schools will be randomly assigned to the intervention condition, where ICC-T will be implemented, and control schools (no intervention). Sixty students between the ages of 12 and 17 years and at least 15 teachers per school will be included in the trial. We aim to collect pre-assessment data directly before the intervention (t1) and 3 months after the intervention (t2) in both intervention and control schools. Using self-administered questionnaires, we will measure students' exposure to violence using the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS), their psychological well-being using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and teachers' positive attitudes towards violent disciplining and teachers' use of violent disciplinary methods (CTS). The implementation feasibility of ICC-T in the cultural context of southwestern Uganda will be assessed with purpose-built measures that follow the guidelines for feasibility studies assessing the demand, applicability, acceptability, and integration of core elements in the daily work. Discussion: The proposed study will allow us to test the feasibility and efficacy of a preventative intervention seeking to reduce violent disciplinary measures in school settings using a scientifically rigorous design. The proposed study provides the opportunity to contribute to the attainment of goal number 16.2 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Agenda 2015-2030, which aspires to end all forms of violence against children.
Child Abuse & Neglect, Jul 1, 2019
Background: Globally, the use of violent discipline methods by teachers to manage child behavior ... more Background: Globally, the use of violent discipline methods by teachers to manage child behavior is still highly prevalent despite enactment of laws that prohibit school violence. In the case of Uganda there is a dearth of accurate prevalence statistics on school violence and factors associated with the use of violence by teachers. Objectives: Therefore, the current study examined the prevalence of and attitudes towards violence. The study also explored the association between teachers' stress, positive attitudes towards violence and the use of violent discipline management methods. Methods: A representative sample of 291 teachers and 702 students from 12 public secondary schools in southwestern Uganda responded to anonymous self-administered questionnaires. Data were collected from April to November 2017. Results: Findings indicated that 86.5% of the teachers reported having used violent disciplinary methods on students in the past month while 91.5% of the students reported experiencing violence by teachers. Teachers (88.3%, n = 256) endorsed positive attitudes towards violent discipline. Teachers' stress was related to higher levels of violent discipline (β = 0.20). This relation was mediated by positive attitudes towards violence (0.06, SE: 0.01, 95%-CI: 0.035-0.092). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that teacher reported stress was associated with their use of violent behavior and positive attitudes and that positive attitudes reduced the association between teachers' stress and violent behavior. Therefore, interventions aiming to reduce violence by teachers may need to integrate effective stress management skills, in addition to nonviolent discipline strategies, and fostering attitudinal change towards the use of violent methods.
Child Abuse & Neglect, Nov 1, 2020
Background: Sexual violence against minors is a global phenomenon with wide-ranging negative cons... more Background: Sexual violence against minors is a global phenomenon with wide-ranging negative consequences. Global reports suggest that it is a particularly serious issue in East African countries, although research on prevalence and characteristics of violence in these countries is scarce. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess sexual violence and its circumstances among Tanzanian and Ugandan adolescents. Participants and setting: Two representative samples of secondary school students aged 12-17 from Tanzania and Uganda (N = 1402) were included in this study. Methods: Data assessed using standardized questionnaires were analyzed to determine prevalence, characteristics, and contributing factors of sexual violence among youth. Results: We found high levels of sexual violence (27.2 %) exceeding global average estimates of under 20 %. Significantly more sexual violence experiences were reported by boys (29.9 %) than girls (24.6 %) and by older compared to younger adolescents (30.2 % vs. 19.6 %). Peers were the most frequent perpetrator group, named by 47.6 % of those reporting abuse. Several potential contributing factors for victimization were identified, such as rural living area, external financial support, and being in a romantic relationship. Conclusions: Sexual violence is a relevant issue among East African adolescents that occurs in a variety of settings but appears to be most prevalent between peers. Comprehensive sexual education approaches may help to improve the protection of adolescents and to enhance autonomous sexual development.
Background: Sexual violence against minors is a global phenomenon with wide-ranging negative cons... more Background: Sexual violence against minors is a global phenomenon with wide-ranging negative consequences. Global reports suggest that it is a particularly serious issue in East African countries, although research on prevalence and characteristics of violence in these countries is scarce. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess sexual violence and its circumstances among Tanzanian and Ugandan adolescents. Participants and setting: Two representative samples of secondary school students aged 12-17 from Tanzania and Uganda (N = 1402) were included in this study. Methods: Data assessed using standardized questionnaires were analyzed to determine prevalence, characteristics, and contributing factors of sexual violence among youth. Results: We found high levels of sexual violence (27.2 %) exceeding global average estimates of under 20 %. Significantly more sexual violence experiences were reported by boys (29.9 %) than girls (24.6 %) and by older compared to younger adolescents (30.2 % vs. 19.6 %). Peers were the most frequent perpetrator group, named by 47.6 % of those reporting abuse. Several potential contributing factors for victimization were identified, such as rural living area, external financial support, and being in a romantic relationship. Conclusions: Sexual violence is a relevant issue among East African adolescents that occurs in a variety of settings but appears to be most prevalent between peers. Comprehensive sexual education approaches may help to improve the protection of adolescents and to enhance autonomous sexual development.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Feb 26, 2021
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Humanities & social sciences communications, Sep 26, 2022
For lifelong learning, an effective learning strategy repertoire is particularly important during... more For lifelong learning, an effective learning strategy repertoire is particularly important during acquisition of knowledge in lower secondary school-an educational level characterized with transition into more autonomous learning environments with increased complex academic demands. Using latent profile analysis, we explored the occurrence of different secondary school learner profiles depending on their various combinations of cognitive and metacognitive learning strategy use, as well as their differences in perceived autonomy support, intrinsic motivation, and gender. Data were collected from 576 ninth grade students in Uganda using self-report questionnaires. Four learner profiles were identified: competent strategy user, struggling user, surface-level learner, and deep-level learner profiles. Gender differences were noted in students' use of elaboration and organization strategies to learn Physics, in favor of girls. In terms of profile memberships, significant differences in gender, intrinsic motivation and perceived autonomy support were also noted. Girls were 2.4-2.7 times more likely than boys to be members of the competent strategy user and surface-level learner profiles. Additionally, higher levels of intrinsic motivation predicted an increased likelihood membership into the deep-level learner profile, while higher levels of perceived teacher autonomy predicted an increased likelihood membership into the competent strategy user profile as compared to other profiles. Further, implications of the findings were discussed.
A host of factors often determines academic attitudes among learners. This quantitative study usi... more A host of factors often determines academic attitudes among learners. This quantitative study using cross-sectional survey design was conducted to establish the prediction effect of locus of control on academic attitudes among secondary school science teacher trainees at a public university in Uganda. Data were collected from a census of 203 students using structured questionnaires comprising a biodata section, Locus of Control Scale and Academic Attitudes Scale. Analysis was done using SPSS, and information was presented in tables and later described. Results showed that the trainees used mainly external locus of control and had generally moderately negative academic attitudes. Locus of control significantly predicted academic attitudes (t =-2.595, p = .010). Further analysis revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in academic attitudes between students originating from rural areas and those from urban areas. It was concluded that the use of external locus of control shifted responsibility of academic issues from the students to other external causes which likely resulted in counterproductive view the science and hence negative academic attitudes among the students.It is recommended that trainees need to be educated before and during pre-service training to appreciate teaching as a noble profession, and that trainees with the right disposition should be selected at entry to preservice training so as to foster the needed changes in science and technology education for national socioeconomic transformation.
International Journal of School & Educational Psychology
Ssenyonga J, Hecker T. Prevalence and Drivers of Violence against Children: Findings from a Repre... more Ssenyonga J, Hecker T. Prevalence and Drivers of Violence against Children: Findings from a Representative Sample of Adolescent Students in Southwestern Uganda. In: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY. Vol 10. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis Ltd; 2019
Oxford University PressNew York eBooks, Dec 1, 2022
Strathmore University, 2017
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Papers by Joseph Ssenyonga