Health Behaviour among High School Students
Health Behaviour among High School Students

Investigating the Relationship between Psychosocial Components of School and Risk Behaviour

Summary/Abstract: Propose: the aim of our research was to assess the psychosocial resources of the school and their indirect impact on health risk factors (smoking, alcohol consumption) and protective factors (nutrition, physical activity). Methods: We conducted a quantitative, cross-sectional study in Western Transdanubia using convenience sampling among high school students (n=448). Data collected with a self-designed and standardized questionnaire (ESPAD – Risk Behaviour HBSC Health Behaviour and School Resources) were analysed with SPSS Statistics 22. Relationships between variables were tested using Spearman correlation analysis (p<0.01 / p<0.05). Result: our results show that elements of both preventive and risk behaviours were interrelated, and risk factors pushed the implementation of protective factors into the background. The majority of students (3/4) liked their school, but 2/5 felt that their school work was quite or very overwhelming. A favourable perception of the school atmosphere was associated with higher levels of preventive behaviours (fruit and vegetable consumption) (p<0.01) and low levels of risk factors (consumption of empty calories) (p<0.01). The monthly prevalence of smoking was correlated with all the school psychosocial factors previously mentioned (p<0.01). Conclusion: The combination of risky behaviour and the psychosocial components of the school calls attention to the need to improve the school atmosphere and strengthen peer support within the school.

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