Risk-taking behaviors engaged in by early adolescents while on school property

This longitudinal study was guided by a Youth Resilience Framework. The study purpose was to examine the influence of protective resources, contextual factors, and risk factors in middle childhood (grades 4-6) on health-risk behaviors (e.g., smoking cigarettes, using marijuana, drinking alcohol, carrying a weapon) engaged in on school property by early adolescents (grade 7) who live in rural central Texas.

Students in grades 4 to 6, a majority of whom were Mexican American (54.3%) and male (56.4%), completed surveys annually until the 7th grade. Generalized estimating equations were run to determine predictors of 7th graders' health-risk behaviors on school property.

Engaging in healthy behaviors, knowing others cared about them, and having a sense of competence in middle childhood (grades 4-6) were found to be protective factors, while having a large family size and the expectation that they would not complete school were found to be risk factors for engaging in health risk behaviors in 7th grade.

These findings show the influence of family and schools as environments that can offer protection from health-risk behaviors in early adolescence.