NCJ Number
189352
Journal
Adolescent and Family Health Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 2001 Pages: 3-11
Date Published
2001
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study hierarchically examined the influence of school attachment, school involvement, and future orientation (as measured by post-high school plans) on adolescents' risky behaviors, such as truancy, substance use, and certain sexual behaviors.
Abstract
Participants were 551 high school students (253 males and 293 females) who ranged in age from 13- to-18-years-old. All students were from a midwestern suburban high school located in a fairly demographically homogeneous district. Data and information were obtained from a demographics questionnaire; a 10-item scale that identified students' levels of attachment to the school; a 3-item scale that identified students' self-perceived levels of involvement in the school; a measure of students' feeling that school was important to their future; and a 7-item scale that rated the frequency of participation in various risky behaviors. On the latter scale, topics were getting drunk, high, and using heavy drugs alone and with friends, and getting into fights in school. Other behaviors measured related to poor school attendance and risky sexual behavior, including contraceptive use. The first hierarchical regression analysis showed that school attachment did statistically significantly predict risky behaviors of substance use and aggression and that school involvement and future orientation successively contributed to the predictive model on a statistically significant level. Among females, however, the hierarchy ended with school involvement. Future orientation did not additionally contribute to the explanation of variance among females. School attachment was statistically significantly predictive of poor attendance behavior, but school involvement and future orientation did not additionally contribute to the explanation of variance. This pattern held true for both males and females. Only school attachment contributed to the model for birth control use, age of sexual debut, and peer acceptance of teen pregnancy. This study provides preliminary evidence that attachment to schools is a place to begin interventions. Schools that provide a variety of mechanisms for reaching out to all groups can help to promote healthy and positive behaviors. 5 tables and 30 references