Factors that Predispose Youth to Risk in Mexico and Chile
About half of Latin America s youth are considered "at risk," meaning that they engage in or are at risk of engaging in risky behaviors that are detrimental to their own development and to the well-being of their societies. While child ps...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20100606233717 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3819 |
| Summary: | About half of Latin America s youth are
considered "at risk," meaning that they engage in
or are at risk of engaging in risky behaviors that are
detrimental to their own development and to the well-being
of their societies. While child psychologists identify many
factors that may cause some youth to engage in at-risk
behaviors and others not to, only empirical evidence can
identify the set that is relevant to a particular
population. This paper uses youth surveys from Chile and
Mexico to test which of a large set of potential factors are
correlated with a range of risky behaviors among youth.
These factors range from relationships with parents and
institutions to household behaviors (abuse, discipline
techniques) to social exclusion. The authors use stepwise
regressions to sort out which variables best explain the
observed variance in seven different risky behaviors. They
find that higher socioeconomic status, a good relationship
with parents and peers, strong connection with local
governmental institutions and schools, urban residence,
younger age, and spirituality emerge as key explanatory
factors for all seven behaviors for boys and girls in both
countries. This points to a wider range of policy entry
points than currently used, including targeting parents and
the relationship with schools. |
|---|