Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
New Horizons in Educational Sciences, Atilla Atik, Editör, GECE AKADEMİ, Ankara, ss.120-145, 2019
Adolescence is a critical period in which the qualities of an individual's social environment become apparent and which determines their quality of life in the later periods of life. Whether the social environment is capable of supporting the healthy development of an adolescent can be observed in the change emerging in their behaviors (Jozefiak, Greger, Koot, Klöckner, Wallander, 2019). In cases where the social environment plays a supportive role in healthy development, adolescents can produce solutions to their problems with healthy and effective coping strategies in many vital issues ranging from physiological differentiation to emotional social relations, academic success and career choices, and can be prepared for life as more resilient (strong) adults in the face of vital problems (Duncan, Duncan, Strycker, 2000). On the other hand, when the social environment has characteristics contradicting expectations, it increases the adolescents' tendency towards behaviors that prevent or threaten their development by changing their problem-solving strategies (Jessor, 1987). Adolescent behaviors that threaten health, prevent development or disrupt the process in many developmental areas ranging from physical to psychosocial processes are defined as “problem behaviors" (Jessor, 2001). According to the Problem Behavior Theory, the individual and their social environment shape their behaviors. The theory emphasizes that factors related to three different systems, personality, environment and behavior, are effective in determining behaviors directly or indirectly (Jessor, 2014). The dynamics regarding these systems are factors triggering or controlling problem behaviors. Psychosocial predisposition (psychosocial risk status), i.e., the tendency for certain problem behaviors, is determined by the balance between controlling and triggering factors. Therefore, behavior and adjustment problems in adolescence can be evaluated as a reflection/symptom of the environment the adolescent lives in (Guerra, Bradshaw, 2008; March, Serdar Atav, 2010).
Family and educational environments are the most basic social systems that shape the lives of individuals at different intensities depending on their developmental dynamics (Guerra, Bradshaw, 2008). Serving as a guarantee for a healthy and developed society, they also have the mission of raising healthy individuals (Collins, Laursen, 2004; Chen, Vazsonyi, 2013) . In other words, they are expected to take part in the life of the individual as protective factors. However, the way members perform the functions expected from them can produce results failing to meet expectations. The ways in which the mother and father, namely the founders of the family, and the teachers, who are obliged to perform the functions of the educational institution at the basis of school and class, interact with the individuals they are responsible for are the major factors that determine psychosocial risk predisposition. While studies emphasize the significance of the relationship between the authority figure and the adolescent as a protective factor, they also show that both family functioning (Epstein, Botvin, Diaz, Williams, C., Griffin, 2000; Jozefiak, Greger, Koot, Klöckner, Wallander, 2019) and the relationship with the teacher can play a role in triggering problem behaviors in adolescence (Feuerborn, Chinn, 2012).
The Purpose of the Research
This research was conducted to examine the effect of the family functions and the perceived teacher behaviors on smoking, alcohol use and self-injury (body-injury) behaviors among the problematic behaviors of adolescents. Within the framework of this main purpose, an answer was sought for whether independent variables had an effect on the dependent variables of feeling unhappy and bad and absenteeism and whether family functions had a predictive effect on the perceived teacher attitudes.