[Personal and social factors associated with the perception of health and the perception of happiness in a nonclinical adolescent population].
BACKGROUND
A theoretical conceptualization of the relationship between health and happiness and associated factors was studied using a structural equation model.


METHODS
Data from the Portuguese part of a World Health Organization collaborative study, health behavior in school-aged children [Currie C, Smith R, Boyce W, et al. HBSC, a WHO cross national study: Research protocol for the 2001/2002 survey. Copenhagen: WHO; 2001], were used. A representative national sample (N=6131) of 11-, 13- and 15-year-old pupils was studied [Matos M.G., Equipa do Projecto Aventura Social. A saúde dos adolescentes portugueses: Quatro anos depois (La santé des adolescents portugais : quatre ans après). Lisboa: Edições FMH; 2003] and data were analyzed for the purpose of this paper. Results showed a significant positive correlation between perception of health and perception of happiness. A group of personal and social factors was associated with this correlation.


RESULTS
Results demonstrated that personal factors had more impact on health perception, and social factors had more impact on happiness perception. Adjustment fit indexes were good. Socioeconomic status (SES) was significantly associated with a positive health perception, and SES was also significantly but modestly associated with the perception of happiness.


CONCLUSIONS
Results highlighted the importance of a holistic and positive approach to adolescent health. This study confirmed the importance of family, peer relationship and positive evaluation of the school on adolescents' health and well-being. Results may suggest that preventive interventions in school settings should target both personal factors (e.g., promoting social competence) and social factors (e.g., promoting social support and acceptance). Interventions should also target physical and mental health in order to help adolescents to cope with the daily challenges they meet.
Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Université Technique de Lisbonne et Centro da Malaria e Doenças Tropicais, Portugal. mmatos@fmh.utl.pt
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Gaspar de Matos
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Simões
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Batista-Foguet
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J
Cottraux
D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006240:Happiness; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010379:Peer Group; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011174:Portugal; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic