O quotidiano dos adolescentes portugueses e satisfação com a vida: risco e protecção

This research examined risk and protective factors for demographic, personal, family and school variables related to adolescents' perception of well being and life satisfaction. Data was collected from the Portuguese sample of the "Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children 2002 (HBSC)". Descriptive statistics analyses were conducted to examine behaviours related to risk and protection according to gender and grade. Multiple regression analyses were conducted considering the "life satisfaction and well being " as dependent variable and a set of demographic, personal, family and school variables used as independent variables. An analysis of descriptive variables previously published (Matos et al 2003; Matos et al 2004; Matos, Gonçalves & Gaspar, 2004) identified 3 types of pathways through adolescence: for the majority, risk increased and protection decreased with age; for a few there is an increase at the age of 13 followed by a decrease by 15. A minority of risk behaviours /situations decreased with age. This previous analysis provided also evidence of gender and social class differences. Multiple regression models identify several associations among demographic, psycho-social and contextual variables with well being and life satisfaction. Gender and socio-economic status were not significant predictors in the younger adolescents (6th grade) but become significant in 8th and 10th grades. Thus, being a male, younger, wealthier, satisfied with school, getting help from teachers, considering that teachers think they are "good" at school, being accepted by peers at school and not reporting psychological symptoms are significantly associated with life satisfaction and well being. These findings have important implications to promote life satisfaction and well being in adolescents. It is likely that school has to be involved in order to create opportunities for an healthful development before and during adolescence, with special focus in reducing gender and socio-economic inequalities.