title: Role modeling, risk, and resilience in California adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between role model presence, type of role model, and various health-risk and health-protective behaviors among California adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used cross-sectional data on 4,010 multiethnic adolescents aged 12-17 years from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey, a population-based random-digit dial telephone survey of more than 40,000 California households. The survey, conducted every other year since 2001, collects extensive demographic, health, and health-related information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-nine percent of adolescents identified a role model. Affluent teens were more likely to have a role model than lower income teens. Role models were generally of the same ethnicity and gender as the teens; ethnic congruence was higher among African Americans and whites than Latinos and Asians; gender congruence was higher among males. Type of role model was significantly associated with health-related behaviors. Identification of a teacher was strongly associated with positive health behaviors. Correlations with health-promoting behaviors were generally smaller in magnitude but consistently positive among family member and athlete role models. Peer or entertainer role models were associated with health-risk behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Not only role model presence but also the type of role model is an important predictor of adolescent health-related behaviors. Our findings have implications for designing youth targeted interventions and policies involving role models.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services and Center to Eliminate Health Disparities, UCLA School of Public Health, 650 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. ayancey@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Antronette K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Yancey
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurosky
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kravitz-Wirtz
authors.forename: Ritesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mistry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires