Recent studies have identifi ed the need to promote the youth “voices”, as well as the importance of their integration as active participants in the research process. However, in Portugal, a number of youth-related decisions are taken on a daily basis in which youth have no power of opinion or decision. Dream Teens emerged as a response to this need. Started in March two thousand fourteen, the network of Portuguese youth with ages between eleven and eighteen years old, provided a support structure so that their ideas could be heard, promoting their social participation and entrepreneurship in contexts and political scenarios in the areas of education and health. In this study of youth needs and strategies identifi cation, to approach the problems of their generation, gathered on the basis of active discussion of issues related to health, well-being and society, a categorization of youth “voice” is presented. Thus, based on an exploratory and careful analysis of teasers/challenges launched in the Facebook group of the project, are presented examples of the youth to categories and subcategories with a larger number of answers, which stand out: friends in relational level, and critical thought related with society in cognitive level. Critical thought related with school, belonging to cognitive level, was the subject less commented on in these speeches. Are still presented implications of this project on social participation/ active citizenship.

In recent years, health research has increasingly focused on processes associated with health promotion and less on disease and its determinants, talking more about promoting personal skills (self-regulation) and interpersonal, social and environmental skills (associated with promoting social cohesion and social support) as effective strategies for health and well-being promotion. The present study aims to present the pilot project “Dream Kids - giving voice to children “, also carried out by the Aventura Social Project, as a continuation of the Dream Teens project, including now children between 9 and 11 years old. The main objectives of this project were to emphasize the importance of children’s active participation, in their well-being and positive development, promote their social participation in different themes (school, culture, health, family, peers and adults, and relational, behavioral and social skills) and, at the same time, promote the interrelation between teacher and students and their social processes. Dream Kids Project included 26 children attending the 3rd grade between 8 and 9 years old. Since not all children responded to the two assessment moments, 21 (52.4% boys, M = 8.24) were included in this study. The “Para mim é Fácil [For me it’s Easy]” Scale (Gaspar & Matos, 2015) was used for the pre-post evaluation with a paired t-test and a satisfaction questionnaire. On the satisfaction scale, a salient issue is the fact that students enjoy the sessions and were eager to attend the program again, although some have complained about the questionnaires and others have not enjoyed talking about themselves and feelings, which contrasts with the fact that there were no significant changes in students’ assessment between pre and post evaluation. The issue of programme length is to be raised in future interventions.

Around the beginning of the 2021 new year, Europe's COVID-19 third wave led many leaders to implement a new lockdown period, with the teaching-learning system returning to the online method once more. The present study aimed to understand the health consequences for adolescents and young adults (AYA) during the third wave's lockdown. This mixed-method study included 592 participants between 16 and 24 years old (M = 19.01, SD = 2.32), with the majority being female (70.9%) and students (82.3%) at high school (55.1%) or university (44.9%). Negative impacts are highlighted in the categories: relationships, physical activity (as well aseno impacts), screen time and academic stress; and no impactsin health and well-being, leisure activities, sleep, diet, academic performance and relationships with teachers and peers. Overall, when compared to the opposite gender, girls report more negative impacts on leisure activities and diet, although more positive impacts on diet, as well as on academic stress; boys stand out in the negative consequences on substance use. At the academic level, students in higher education show more negative impacts on relationships, leisure activities, sleep, diet, screen time and relationships with teachers and peers. Enlightened about the impacts of the second lockdown on their lives, and showing signs of "pandemic fatigue", this study draws attention to the need to associate psychological support measures with those implemented to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Changes in routines and habits, fear of contamination from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus, and economic crisis have resulted in significant impacts upon individuals' lives, health, and risk behaviors. The present study aims to analyze health risk behaviors and gender differences of Portuguese adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative analysis using SPSS v. 26 software presents the evaluation of 5746 responses (M = 48.5 years, SD = 14.3), of which 67.7% were female. t Test was used to study differences in means before and during the pandemic and analysis of variance test to analyze gender differences. In the comparative study before and during the pandemic showed a decrease in the number of meals per day, physical activity and perception of sleep quality; an increase in tobacco use, beer consumption, and media use (TV, mobile phone, social networks, and online games). Gender differences study demonstrated that the number of meals per day suffered a decrease from pre to pandemic in women, while increasing in men, becoming prominent in the second moment under study. Both genders had an increase in consumption behaviors and substance use, but women revealed a decrease in the consumption of wine during the pandemic, while men revealed more consumption behaviors in the variables under study. The use of media also changed, with men showing a higher level in TV hours per day, social networks and online games before the pandemic and in TV hours per day and games/online during the pandemic. Women stand out in the use of mobile phone per day during the pandemic. Daily physical activity decreased during the pandemic, as did sleep quality. Males revealed a higher practice of physical activity at both periods, as well as sleep quality. Based on the results presented, it is expected that considerations and actions in the scope of public health policies and health prevention and promotion, will be rethought and adapted to the specificities of each gender.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the exponential increase in cases, educational institutions worldwide were forced to close, making way for digital learning. After a period of confinement and an online teaching methodology, a new school year has begun. However, this new school year included the application of a wide range of measures that transformed the educative setting. The present study aimed to understand the health consequences for adolescents and young adults (AYA) during the back to school period after the COVID-19 lockdown. This mixed-method study included 304 participants between 16 and 24 years old (M = 18.4, SD = 2.12), female (71.1%), Portuguese (90.8%) and students (85.2%). In general, it was with a pessimistic perspective that young people in general, particularly girls and university students, understood the new school reality postconfinement, the effects on friendship relations, leisure activities and physical activity. By demonstrating AYA's ability and competence to identify and expose their problems, this study intends to raise awareness of the need for their involvement in the issues that affect them.

Through a qualitative research, this study presents the voice of stakeholders in the analysis of a Youth Participatory Action Research program, together with their standpoints about social participation of this population. A convenience sample of 13 stakeholders directly and indirectly linked to a Youth Participatory Action Research project was individually interviewed based on a semi-structured script. The analysis, views, and recommendations for future programs were studied, coded based on a content analysis, and subsequently analyzed using NVivo 12 qualitative analysis software. Stakeholder’s voice analysis was based on four categories: (Q1) Youths seem to depriorize school-related issues; (Q2) Youth face too much bureaucracies when facing the adult world; (Q3) Lack of statistically significant improvements in pre and post-test; and (Q4) Scenario of youth participation and their engagement in policies. As conclusions, responsibilities are attributed to the Government, organs of political power, and school, but also to young people. The involvement of stakeholders can enhance their support to Youth Participatory Action-research, and the guidelines / strategies will support the improvement of future programs.

This work had as objective the study of gender differences, grade and region in social participation of portuguese school-aged youth. Were inclued 5695 pupils of the 8th, 10th and 12th grade, who participated in the study, mostly female (53.9%). With a mean age of 15.46 years (SD = 1.8), was carried out a study of the averages of social participation based on gender, grade and region based on the ANOVA and Post-hoc (Tukey HSD) for the analysis of differences between groups. In the results, based on the dimensions of the Questionnaire on Expectations and Social Participation and Positive Development, in the study of gender, there is a greater Sense of Belonging and Social Self-efficacy in the masculine gender, and higher Expectations of Participation in the Community in the feminine gender. The dimension Active Participation and Total Participation or its Expectation did not reveal statistically significant differences. In the analysis by school grade, the 8th grade stands out due to the greater Sense of Belonging and lesser Social Self-efficacy. Active Participation, Expectations of Community Participation and Total Participation or Expectation is higher in the 12th grade. Finally, in the exploration by regions, only the Total Participation or its Expectation revealed statistically significant differences, presenting differences between the regions of the Alentejo and Algarve, and a greater participation by young people from Alentejo. It is considered fundamental to study the characteristics of the socially more participative young people. Autonomy and active participation of young people in the identification and management of their lives’ problems are a promising way to promote their well-being and prevent health risks.

On the basis of the systematic literature review, we investigate the characteristics of community‐based Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) programs with a focus on health and well‐being and their recommendations for future programs. The study was based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses diagram. Most included a case study design, mixed or qualitative methodology, interview as data collection, and YPAR youth in data reporting. The sample differs between studies, and most of the work took place in the United States. The stages (raise awareness, capacitation, design,motivation, implementation, evaluation, dissemination, and replication) are evident as a fundamental strategy in these programs.

This study presents the evaluation of a youth participatory action-research project, developed with Portuguese youth, providing a framework for youth’s ideas to be heard, promoting their social participation and engagement in contexts and political scenarios in the areas of health, well-being and active citizenship. In this study of the Dream Teens project, were included all those adolescents that were present in the First and in Second Dream Teens National Meeting, and therefore could fill the pre and post evaluations (N = 46). In this group, 78.3% were girls, with a mean age of 16.13 (±1.89) from which were attended High School (65.2%). A factorial analysis, including all items from the various instrument used identified five factors: Feelings and competencies for action, Competencies for problem resolution, Interpersonal skills, Humanitarianism and Feelings towards life. Comparisons in the five dimensions at the end of year 1 and at the end of year 2 reveal no significant differences. Contrarily, the Dream Teens’ perceptions at the end of year 1 and 2 revealed positive differences. Individual perceptions of improvement were positive in many areas either in the end of year 1 and in the end of year 2, as well as the reported involvement in civic and voluntary activities and future expectations. In sum, although the great majority of youth involved in the program reported positive outcomes as their personal perception, when comparing the results reported in the pre and post evaluation, no significant differences were revealed. This result calls for reflection, although perceiving themselves as more positively enabled, the positive changes were not strong enough to enable the adolescents to cope better in their life scenarios, or simply they did not change, they just liked the program. The results of the qualitative study using in depth interviews (ongoing) will give more clues about what happened.

In the last 2 years, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread all over the world, forcing the closure of universities, among other unusual measures in recent history. (1) Background: This work is based on the study HOUSE-ULisbon, a survey carried out during the second confinement (March-May 2021) in Portugal with the collaboration of all the Faculties of the University of Lisbon (UL). The present work aims to explore gender differences in how first-year college students experienced and felt COVID-19 and the second confinement. (2) Methods: A questionnaire was carried out. In total, 976 university students (19.66 years (SD = 4.033); Min = 17 and Max = 65) from the first year of the UL were included, of which 69.5% (n = 678) were female, and 30.5% were male (n = 298). SPSS v. 26 was used for quantitative data and MAXQDA 2020 for qualitative data. (3) Results: Overall, students reported various symptoms of physical and mental discomfort (especially females). Statistically significant differences were found in the problems that could arise from the pandemic, such as the prevalence of higher anxiety and worries by females, and online gaming by males. In coping strategies, differences were found in leisure and family relationships, with greater difficulty on the female side. Social interaction was perceived as difficult or very difficult by both genders. As strategies for future pandemics, they highlighted a concerted effort between the government and media in the transmission of messages to the population, facilitating information, knowledge and adoption of protective behaviors. (4) Conclusions: These results are important data for activating or maintaining resources and services for first-year university students, who in some university institutions were supported during the pandemic by psychological, material (e.g., computers, internet), and financial support measures, which are now diminished or extinct. The impacts on their lives will certainly not be extinguished post-pandemic, and health, education, and public policy measures should be prioritized for this group. These results are important data for activating resources and services for students, informing health and education professionals, and supporting public policies.