Citation

Somers CL, Grizzi TJ. Adolesc. Fam. Health 2001; 1(2): ePub.

Affiliation

College of Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA (csomers@coe.wayne.edu).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Instutute for Youth Development)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to examine the school context in predicting adolescents' risk behaviors such as truancy, substance use, and certain sexual behaviors. School attachment, school involvement, and future orientation (as measured by post high school plans) were examined hierarchically as potential predictors of risky behaviors. The specific research questions for the current study were: (1) Do students who are actively involved in the school feel a sense of attachment to the school? (2) Are student involvement, student attachment, and future orientation, in that order, predictive of risky behaviors? (3) Do different patterns of relations emerge for males and females. Participants included 253 males and 293 females in the ninth through twelfth grades. A hierarchical model held true for some risk behaviors but not others. Implications for research and practice are suggested.