Friendships Quality and Classmates Support: How to influence the well-being of adolescents

Gina Tomé, Margarida Gaspar de Matos, Inês Camacho, Celeste Simões, José Alves Diniz, José Alves Diniz

Abstract


The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of quality friendship and classmates support on risk behaviour and well-being of Portuguese adolescents.
The sample was composed by individuals that participated in the study in continental Portugal, integrating the European study HBSC – Health Behaviour in School – aged Children. The study included a total of 4877 students from the 6th, 8th and 10th grades from Portuguese public schools, with an average age of 14 years.
The results revealed the trend towards classmates’ more protection for involvement in risky behaviour, than to have high quality friends. The quality of friendship comes as the protector factor to other areas just as important, as happiness, life satisfaction and quality of life.


Keywords


Friendships quality; Classmates support; Adolescents; Risk behaviour; Well-being

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/5656

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