Predictors of Positive Health among a Sample of South African Adolescents

Abstract

Many studies that address adolescent health focus on risk behaviours, their predictors and outcomes, but few focus on positive health and its predictors. The aim of this study was to investigate aspects of adolescents' positive health (lack of emotional and somatic symptoms, positive subjective health and self-reported happiness), as predicted by adolescents' relationships with their parents and peers, and their perceptions of their school. The measure used was part of the Health Behaviour in School-age Children questionnaire. The sample included 515 South African Grade 8 secondary school students (51.8% Black, 48.2% White; 40.8% boys and 59.2% girls; M age 15.5 yr., SD=1.6, range 14–18) chosen at random from three urban schools in Polokwane, Limpopo Province. Analysis indicated that positive perceptions of the school and parental relations were identified as significant and positive peer and siblings relationships as nonsignificant predictors for indicators of positive health.