Adolescents' perceptions of their peers' health norms.
- 1 August 1995
- journal article
- Published by American Public Health Association in American Journal of Public Health
- Vol. 85 (8_Pt_1) , 1064-1069
- https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.85.8_pt_1.1064
Abstract
OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance adolescents place on preventive health behaviors. METHODS. Data were from a survey of California adolescents (n = 5040). Respondents were asked how important it was to their peers to avoid drugs, marijuana, cigarettes, heavy drinking, and drinking and driving and to maintain seat belt use, fitness, weight control, and healthy eating habits. Results were compared with data from a similar national survey (n = 6126). RESULTS. California teenagers perceived that their peers gave top priority to weight control: 85% of California teenagers believed that weight control was of high concern to girls in their age group. Avoiding drugs, not drinking and driving, and maintaining fitness ranked in the top five behaviors. The lowest ranked health behaviors were seat belt use, heavy drinking, and, last, eating healthily. In the national survey, healthy eating also ranked last. Although not identical in rank, teenage priorities for other health behaviors were consistent with the California results. CONCLUSION. Efforts are needed to bring adolescent health norms more into line with the objective risks of their health choices during this critical period of socialization.Keywords
This publication has 26 references indexed in Scilit:
- The relationship between body weight concerns and adolescent smoking.Health Psychology, 1993
- The relationship between body weight concerns and adolescent smoking.Health Psychology, 1993
- Use of diet pills and amphetamines to lose weight among smoking and nonsmoking high school seniors.Health Psychology, 1991
- Use of diet pills and amphetamines to lose weight among smoking and nonsmoking high school seniors.Health Psychology, 1991
- Weight and eating concerns among pre- and young adolescent boys and girlsJournal of Adolescent Health, 1990
- Beliefs About Resistance Self-Efficacy and Drug Prevalence: Do They Really Affect Drug Use?International Journal of the Addictions, 1990
- The False Consensus Effect in Estimates of Smoking PrevalencePersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 1983
- Parental and Peer Influence on AdolescentsSocial Forces, 1980
- Sampling Methods for Random Digit DialingJournal of the American Statistical Association, 1978
- A Theoretical Analysis of Selected Factors Important to Health Education StrategiesHealth Education Monographs, 1975