Rodiče nebo kamarádi? Aneb kdo má větší vliv na chování adolescenta?

Title in English Parents or friends? Who has a more significant influence on adolescent behaviour?
Authors

FOLTOVÁ Lucie

Year of publication 2012
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Adiktologie
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Medicine

Citation
Field Psychology
Keywords risk behaviour; early adolescence;behaviour models; parents; contemporaries; choice of friends
Description Objective: To identify factors (both in parents and friends) which influence some specific kinds of adolescent risk behaviour. Methods: The data used proceed from questionnaires which were filled out by 15-year-old adolescents about themselves. For a statistical comparison by chí2 tests a method of extreme (or contrast) groups was used. Study sample: The study sample is formed by participants of ELSPAC. The sample was divided into five groups which are derived from a risk behaviour syndrome. The groups are: A – individuals with an addictive behaviour (N=126); B – individuals with an antisocial behaviour (N=75); C – individuals with a risk sexual behaviour (N=77); D – a syndrome group (N=118); E – a control non-risk group (N=1 135). Results: The syndrome group considers to be the least important to be the opinions of authorities (father, grandparents, teachers; all mentioned findings significant at p<0,001). At the same time the individuals from the syndrome group have the highest number of “problem” friends (users of addictive substances), followed by the group of adolescents with addictive behaviour. The number of heavy smokers is in fact the lowest in the non-risk group of adolescents (p<0,001) but their numbers are not the highest in the group with addictive behaviour, however. No association at all with alcohol consumption was proven. Conclusions: Adolescents with risk behaviour are not perhaps more prone to assuming opinions from their peers. However the structure of their friends groups (actual process of social selection) is more fundamental – risk adolescents also pick risk individuals as their friends several-fold more often. Popularity by others and material background are the factors (among others) which play an important role in this choice. The models of behaviour in the family seem to be rather a secondary moderating factor of adolescents’ risk behaviour. An important finding is that risk individuals follow less the opinions of adults (albeit with the exception of mothers).
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