SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, HEALTH-RISK BEHAVIORS, AND SELF-ESTEEM IN ADOLESCENTS APPLYING FOR WORKING PAPERS

Since health-risk behaviors are often encountered in clusters among ad olescents, it was hypothesized that adolescents with poor school atten dance would be associated with more health-risk behaviors (e.g., subst ance use, violence) than those who attend school regulatory. This stud y assessed the relationship between poor school attendance and health- risk behaviors, and described health-risk behaviors and self-esteem am ong adolescents seeking employment. In this cross-sectional study, sch ool attendance (poor vs. regular attendance) was related to health-ris k behaviors by asking 122 subjects seen at a New York City Working Pap ers Clinic to complete both a 72-item questionnaire about their health -risk behaviors and the 58-item Coopersmith Self-Esteem School Form In ventory. Chi-square and Fisher's Exact Tests were performed. The poor and regular attenders of school differed significantly in only 5 out o f 44 items pertaining to health-risk behaviors. Self-esteem measures f or the two groups did not differ from one another or from national nor ms. In this sample, depression ''in general'' (global) and ''at home'' , but not ''at school'', were associated significantly with suicidal t houghts/attempts and serious past life events (e.g. family conflict, s exual abuse). There were not significant associations between depressi on of self-esteem and illicit substance or alcohol use. We found few a ssociations between poor school attendance and health-risk behaviors i n this sample of employment-seeking adolescents. The poor and regular attenders of school were similar in most aspects of their health-risk behaviors and self-esteem.