Investigation of the Effect of Social Relations on High-Risk Behaviors of Adolescents of Bojnourd City, Iran

Abstract

Introduction High-risk behaviors are the ones that are accompanied by short-term benefits but are followed by long-term losses. Such behaviors are mostly revealed during adolescence. Majority of adolescents move from childhood to adulthood successfully but some of them show high-risk behaviors due to pressure and tensions caused by biological, social andcognitive changes of adolescence. Regarding risk factors and protective factors for high-risk behaviors, some theories will be discussed such as the biological theories of risk-taking behavior and psychological theories of risk-taking and social and environmental theories of risk-taking and the biopsychosocial model of risk-taking behavior. By discussing such theories, this study aims to investigate the effect of social relation on high-risk behavior of adolescents. Social relations affect health of people. Lack or shortage of social relations or destructive social relations jeopardize health of people especially adolescents. The effect of social relations on high-risk behaviors has been investigated by two aspects of structure and function. Structurally speaking, much emphasis is put on social networks (immediate kin, extended kin, friends, neighbors) that adolescent have relationships with them. Social network can affect high-risk behaviors of adolescents by social learning, cognitive learning, social control and membership in subcultures. Functionally speaking, the effect of social relation on high-risk behaviors has been investigated by measuring social support (attachment, social integration, opportunity for nurturance, reassurance of worth, a sense of reliable alliance, the obtaining of guidance) and self-esteem. High-risk behaviors have been examined in seven groups (violence, carrying cold weapons, suicide, sexual intercourse, cigarette, hookah, drug and alcohol use). Materials and Methods This study has been conducted with a cross-sectional survey. The statistical population included adolescents of 15-19 years old. Scale of sample was identified as 455 people based on Cocran formula and quota sampling was carried out based on age and gender. The information were collected based on four questionnaires including checklist of high-risk behaviors, the Lubben social network scale, social support scale of Cutrona and Russell (Social Provision Scale, SPS) and Rosenberg self-esteem scale. The information was studied descriptively and analytically. Discussion of Results and Conclusions the results of this study show that high-risk behavior is observed less among girls than boys. But particular attention should be paid to high-risk behaviors that relate to women’s potential of fertility since it will be followed by more health, psychological and social risks and consequences for them.Investigation of the hypothesis of the study which was related to the effect of social network as a functional aspect of social relations on high-risk behaviors indicates that network of immediate kin functions as a protective factor against high-risk behaviors of adolescents. Significance of family relations as a protective factor against high-risk and criminal behaviors has been noted in the theory of social control and also social and environmental theories of risk-taking which is emphasized in this study. Expansiveness of extended kin network has no impact on high-risk behaviors of adolescents and it can be caused by adolescents’ social, psychological and spatial distance from extended kin network, thus it limits effect of social relation on high-risk behaviors. Expansiveness of network of friends and neighbors as a risk factor affects high-risk behavior of adolescents. Behavior of peers has been deemed to be an influential factor for high-risk behaviors of adolescents in character, environment and behavior model and social and environmental model of risk-taking which has been pinpointed in this study.Investigation of tests of hypotheses regarding the effect of social support and self-esteem as functional aspect of social relation on high-risk behaviors indicates that self-esteem and two scales of social support (reassurance of worth, a sense of reliable alliance) affect high-risk behaviors which are emphasized by social and environmental theories of risk-taking that considers social support as a protective factor against high-risk behaviors. This hypothesis was confirmed in this study. But other subscales of social support (attachment, social integration, opportunity for nurturance, the obtaining of guidance) have no effect on high-risk behaviors. The effect of self-esteem on high-risk behaviors is emphasized by biological, psychological and social model and theoretical approach to social cognition which has been confirmed in this study. Regarding rejection of the hypothesis which relates to the effect of general scale of social support and its subscales on high-risk behaviors, investigation of social support based on age periods can be reviewed. Generally, model of structural equation obtained from theoretical model of the study is sufficiently valid to investigate the effect of social relations on high-risk behaviors.

Keywords

• High-Risk Behavior
• Social Relations
• Social Network
• Social Support
• self-esteem
• Adolescent
• Bojnourd