Young adolescents' wellbeing and health-risk behaviours: gender and socio-economic differences.
In this paper we use the 1994-1997 Youth Surveys of the British Household Panel Study to examine the wellbeing of young adolescents. We conceptualize wellbeing as a multi-dimensional construct and we develop and test models of gender and age differences. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we find clear gender differences in self-esteem, self-efficacy, unhappiness and worries. We confirm that wellbeing and some health-risk behaviours (fighting and smoking) are linked. We test models that examine how family structure, father's occupation, tenure, and household income, affect adolescent wellbeing. While socio-economic factors affect health-risk behaviours and also adolescents' reported worries, they have little impact on other aspects of youth wellbeing. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Bergman
M M
MM
Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Cambridge, UK.
Scott
J
J
D000374:Aggression; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors