Terminal core values associated with adolescent problem behaviors

Adolescence, Spring, 1999 by Brent G. Goff, H. Wallace Goddard

An exploratory analysis of the fun and enjoyment group revealed no gender differences in frequency of substance use. The dominant value of fun and enjoyment thus appears to be a good marker for both male and female substance users. Analysis of the sense of belonging group revealed no gender differences in frequency of sex or number of partners. Sense of belonging appears to inhibit sexual activity for both males and females. Examination of the being well-respected group revealed no gender differences in the number of sexual partners. For this sample, adolescents of both sexes who valued being well-respected tended to have more partners, implying that this behavior increases respect and enhances social status.

Additional research is needed to fully understand the relationships between values and various problem behaviors. Future studies should incorporate a more comprehensive set of deviant activities and values (e.g., Schwartz & Bilsky, 1990). Further, the effectiveness of values self-confrontation should be examined for various problem behaviors and across different samples, such as incarcerated youth.

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