Magyar_Ifjusag_2012_tanulmanykotet

Summary of the volume of studiesVI. Behaviour in risk-involving situationsAndrás Székely, Éva Susánszky and Szilvia Ádám:Young people’s behaviour in risk-involving situationsRelying on figures produced by the Hungarian Youth 2012 survey, the authorsreviewed results concerning young people’s behaviour in risk-involvingsituations. Although the latest figures still give no cause for satisfaction– figures representing harmful behavioural patterns remain high - ,improvements can be detected in some areas compared to earlier results.This is supported by the fact that proportion in society of those who havenever smoked tobacco increased by ten per cent; as opposed to this, however,thirty per cent of young people smoke on a daily basis. In comparisonto 2008, the proportion of young people experimenting with (or admittingto trying) illegal substances has also decreased, with nine per cent claimingto have used some kind of drug. Somewhat over half (55 per cent) ofrespondents have never or only very occasionally had an alcoholic drink inthe past year.Occurrences of risk-involving behaviour can be explained by several factorsrelated to real-life situations. Negative life-defining events such as familyproblems, death or illness occurring before fourteen years of age bear astrong relation to the development of harmful behavioural patterns. A historyof abuse has an especially negative effect. Among teenagers, the relationbetween consuming alcohol and the feeling of adulthood and independenceis rather weak; although the opposite is true of smoking, this associationbecomes unapparent and even turns around with respect to twenty-somethings.Negative sentiments arising from young people’s dissatisfaction,along with the lack of positive future prospects are a further risk-increasingelement; although the latter is typical primarily above the age of twenty butalso has an effect on the younger age group. Consumerist attitudes to life,which constantly convey a sense of shortage in material assets, spur dissatisfactionand are closely connected to the use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco.Unrealistic ideals often result in discontent with physical appearance. Indicatorsof young people’s physical condition draw attention to the necessityto do more for improving levels of fitness primarily through regular exerciseand sports activities.351