Behavior problems in relation to perceived social support
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2012
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Abstract
All of us have an innate capacity and tendency toward being autonomous and to actualize self. However biological, interpersonal and environmental influences facilitate or hinder these tendencies and self-actualization efforts. Life-span development is considered as a continuous reordering of selfhood dynamics, which is expected to result in more structured and integrated patterns of internal complexity. Through a person's life-span development, adolescence is considered as an important developmental period because adolescence is a sense of personal identity achievement period which implies the assessments of strengths, weaknesses and the power to deal with them and results in the establishment of a meaningful and satisfying self-concept; a feeling of harmony with self. Behavior problems hinder the adolescents from the acquisition of the developmental tasks, from presenting the expected social roles, from feelings of competence and success and from a successful transition to young adulthood.Person's life affects his/her social circumstances and person's social circumstances affect his/her life. Accordingly, the disruptions in relations with significant others or caregivers affect to emerge in behavior problems. Relations with significant others, relationship between environmental conditions and child/adolescent well-being considered to be important to prevent the development of behavior problems. It has been proved that the perceived availability of social support buffers the effect of stress on psychological distress, depression, and anxiety.This chapter examines and argues the behavior problems of adolescents with respect to perceived social support. In this context, the developmental properties of adolescents and several theories examined adolescence and their contributions to behavior problems are reviewed. Social support and related constructs are indicated in line with the relevant literature. Perceived support from parents, from peers and from teachers are examined seperately. Particularly perceived social support effects on behavioral problems are argued. Gender effect on both behavior problems and perceived social support presented. Additionally a current research conducted by the authors and its results are introduced and discussed.Actually, behavior problems are given through a literatually accepted classification. They are classified as internalizing behavioral problems and externalizing behavioral problems. Internalizing behavioral problems are described under headings as depression/anxiety, social withdrawal, somatic/physical complaints. Externalizing behavior problems are characterized by behaviors that are harmful to others or disruptive indicates and these factors are described under headings as aggression and delinquency. The literature asserts that both developmental properties and social ties precipitate adolescents to develop behavior problems. When one examines fundamental theories, can understand the underlying dynamics more precisely.As a multi-dimensional construct, social support is best understood by including (1) the structure in which supportive transactions take place, (2) the support domains; e.g., emotional, financial, instrumental, informational support and (3) the subjective appraisal of availability and satisfaction with support. The literature offers many; however, most definitions refer to main types of support: emotional, informational, and instrumental that people provide to friends and family members in times of need. Emotional support involves the expression of empathy, reassurance, and positive regard, and is believed to enhance well-being by promoting self-esteem, reducing distress, and providing an emotional context for positive coping efforts. Informational support involves the provision of guidance, advice, or other information that can reduce confusion, increase perceptions of self-efficacy, and form the basis for positive coping strategies. Instrumental support refers to the provision of money, goods, and services that can be used in coping and problem solving efforts.Sources of social support include parents, teachers and peers who are in daily interaction with adolescents and who may provide different influences on their judgments of satisfaction and competence. Parental and peer dynamics and their associations in relation with healthy adolescent functioning are currently receiving much attention.Evidence demonstrates that supportive social relationships have been linked to adolescents' health, morale, and coping, conversely, low levels of social support have been linked to poor physical and mental health outcomes. Perceived social support has been found to be negatively related to behavior problems in adolescents; lower academic performance; lower global functioning. Behavior problems are considered as an important predictor of maladjustment in later life.Within the scope of this chapter, the results of the study conducted by the authors revealed that perceived social support from family, peers and teachers play a crucial role in behavior problems of adolescents, moreover perceived social support from parents make the highest contribution. Certainly, results are consistent with the literature. Consequently, social support is vital for adolescence healthy development especially in this day and time where technology progress quickly, values are discussed, schools and teachers are more demanding, acquiring a profession gets harder, violence is too often seen, adult supervision is reduced due to unmarriages or divorce and proportion of working parents is increased, adolescents become alone vulnerable to threats. Prevention strategies should be school-based and family-based generated and implemented. © 2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.