PERCEIVED COMPETENCES, PEER GROUP AFFILIATION, AND RISK BEHAVIOR AMONG EARLY ADOLESCENTS

This study examined the role of self-esteem and peer group membership in risk behavior among 183 8th graders in a multiethnic school. The hy pothesis was that domain-specific rather than global self-esteem would be associated with ''crowd'' membership that in turn would be related to risk behavior. Data were gathered through informant interviews and individual surveys. Domain-specific self-esteem was related to crowd affiliation as well as to alcohol and cigarette use; global self-estee m was not related. Crowd affiliation related to alcohol use and sexual behavior after controlling for the effects of demographic and self-es teem variables, but crowd membership did not fully mediate the relatio nship between self-esteem and risk behavior. Availability of alcohol a nd cigarettes mediated the relationship between crowd affiliation and use of these substances. Findings support growing evidence that multip le adolescent peer groups exist and that group membership is closely t ied to behavior.