Relationship between adolescent health behaviors and self-esteem in Turkey

The main objectives of this article were to present first adolescent self-esteem levels including its predictors and second to show the correlations between student self-esteem evaluations, health compromising and risk behaviors. This study was a part of a larger comparative youth research with questionnaires to the students in grade eleven in the Yenimahalle district of Ankara, Turkey. A brief group type questionnaire was administered to the 310 students. The results showed that, the students were not homogeneous in terms of their positive and negative self-esteem levels. Regression analysis revealed that father's educational level as an independent variable was effective on positive self-esteem scores. Gender was effective on student negative self-esteem ratings. It was also found that there was a significant correlation between student self-esteem evaluations and perceptions about other students along with health compromising and risk behaviors. Prevention implications and recommendations are discussed.