[The mediating role of family and friends in tobacco and alcohol consumption and physical activity practice among spanish adolescents].

Abstract

Objective: Adolescence represents a critical period for the establishment of healthy habits, with family and peer influence playing an essential role. This study aimed to examine the relationship between family and peer influence on various lifestyle behaviors in adolescents, specifically smoking, physical activity, and alcohol consumption.

Methods: The study was conducted on a sample of 173 secondary school adolescents, utilizing the maximum likelihood estimation method. Additionally, the structural model was analyzed using multi-group structural equation modeling and path analysis to assess the influence of family and peers on adolescent behaviors. Model fit was verified: comparative fit index (CFI); normalized fit index (NFI); and root mean square error of approximation (REMSEA). The data were analyzed with the Amos 24 program. In addition, the generalizability coefficient (G) was calculated using an optimization plan with three projections (SAGT v1.0).

Results: Peers were found to have the strongest influence on both healthy lifestyle habits and risk behaviors. Support from friends was the dimension that had the greatest impact on the practice of healthy behaviors, especially physical activity (0.630), while the perception of satisfaction with peers had the least impact. With regard to the family, the dimension that had the least dominance in adolescent behavior was dialogue, and the most, satisfaction with family relationships. Furthermore, during early adolescence, the family context had a greater influence on the acquisition of life habits, in contrast to middle adolescence, where the influence of peers was more relevant.

Conclusions: Interventions aimed at promoting healthy habits among children and adolescents should consider the role of both family and peers as critical components in the development of effective health promotion and prevention strategies.