Self-Schemas and Possible Selves as Predictors and Outcomes of Risky Behaviors in Adolescents

Abstract

Bac*ground; Although there is extensive evidence that the ,,*it,l self-concept changes in many important ways during the i..ii.;1 adolescent years and that these changes influence behav- ....:,:..:..:)\i: rvrqr ur rvrvtro, ,' ," majority of studies completed to date have .:,::,:l:ii been based on a static model in which the self-concept is :,ii:r1i viewed solely as an antecedent of the risky behaviors. ':,:.!;,D-; Objectives: To investigate the pattern of relationships between .,,,il fi three components of the self-concept-the popular, the contlll; r,:l ventional, and the deviant selves-and risky behaviors in a ,.:,ili sample of micidle adolescents during their transition from )' Methods: A sample of 160 adolescents completed questionr, ri1;} naires measuring the content of their self-schemas and pos- ;,..;iifi' sible selves and involvement in four risky behaviors (tobacco tL,it'li and alcohol use, sexual intercourse, poor school perforiilli; ifi mance) during the winter of eighth and ninth grades. .,,,,i}; nesults; Popular self-schema score in the eighth grade posilltl:', t1; tively predicted ninth grade risky behaviors, Risky behavior .1.11,.t involvement in the eighth grade predicted ninth-grade :::t::i,1!j. deviant self-schema and possible self-scores. .::;:t:Concluslons; These findings suggest lhat the self-concept ,1.:;:i1i may not only play a role in the early stages of engagement ,L:,1,,,:1,! in the risky behaviors but may also be one means through t;,;;:;,,;;;:. which the behaviors become structuralized into potentially ,:;,;;.;.ri1 enduring aspects of the self. ,:,,,8 Key Words.' schemas . adolescents . risky behaviors