Perception of health as a personal value by high school adolescents

Background. The period of adolescence is a time of health identity.

Objectives. The aim of the study was to answer the questions what importance is given to the “health” category among other declared values by adolescents and how they perceive their personal competences.

Material and methods. The study included 242 grades I–III students of high schools. Two tests were used: a list of Personal Values (LWO) and Personal Competence Scale (KompOs), examining the generalized self-efficacy and its components: a sense of strength and perseverance.

Results. The “good health” category is the most important symbol of happiness for more than 30% of the students, but 18% of the respondents did not recognize it as a such symbol or considered it to be the least important of the other identified as significant. 50% of students declared that the value of “good health, physical and mental well-being” is the most important to them (15%) or very important (35%). “Health” is often presented as a means to achieve other life goals, not a stand-alone value. It has been shown that 43%, 38% and 19% of students have a high generalized, medium and low self-efficacy, respectively.

High sense of strength and perseverance were reported by 50% of the students.

Conclusions. Awareness of the value of health and self-efficacy in adolescents seem to be insufficient to undertake correct health-related behaviors. In civilization diseases prevention programs dedicated to adolescents, particular attention should be paid to strengthening the “health” as a personal value and to build sense of personal competence to undertake and realize health behaviors.