[Self esteem, affectivity perception, aims, and risk behaviors among teenagers of both sexes]

A self applied and anonymous enquiry was answered by 948 teenagers (600 female), participating in an integral health education plan and coming from a school located in a low income community of Metropolitan Santiago. Twenty nine percent came from single or foster parent families and 18.4% of parents were separated. Nineteen percent of women and 9.8% of men felt that they were not loved by their parents; 30.5% of women and classified as bad or regular their relationship with their fathers and 22.1% of men similarly classified their relationship with their mothers. Eighteen percent of men and 16.5% of women ignored their parent's educational level. Ten to 24% had a negative self image and 50% were unsure about their study goals. Forty eight percent of men and 25.5% of women had get drunk; 24.1 and 12.8% had smoked marihuana. Half of the sample manifested attraction to dangerous situations; 22% had participated in quarrels and 34% had attacked other people. Twenty three percent of men and 35% of women had considered committing suicide. It is concluded that the lack of affection, a deteriorated self image, difficult parental relationships and orientation toward violence appear as the main problems in this sample of teenagers.