OBJECTIVE: To determine if adolescents who perceive their parents to be autonomy supportive and involved in their lives would hold stronger intrinsic aspirations relative to extrinsic aspirations(self/community/relationships/health versus wealth/fame/attractiveness/hedonism), and be less likely to engage in high risk behaviors.

DESIGN: Questions from the 1992 Youth Risk Behavior Survey were used to assess tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use as well as sexual activity among 374 local 9th-12th graders. A composite risk taking index (RTI), created by summing the students' standardized responses, served as the dependent variable. Adolescents' perceptions of parental autonomy support (PAS), involvement (PI) and control (PC) were assessed using the Perceptions of Parents Scale. Intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations were assessed using a validated 40 item Aspiration Index, and the relative intrinsic aspirations score (RIAS) was calculated, with higher scores representing greater intrinsic versus extrinsic aspirations. All scales had alpha reliabilities between 0.66 and 0.90. Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.

RESULTS: 305 (82%) students responded to the survey. PAS and PI were negatively correlated with RTI (r=-.33, p<.001 and r=-.22, p<.001 respectively) and positively correlated with RIAS (r=.32, p<.001 and r=.28, p<.001 respectively). RIAS was negatively correlated with RTI (r=-.32, p<.001). PAS and RIAS independently predicted RTI (b=-.21, p<.001 and b=-.27, p<.001 respectively) and accounted for 15% of the variance in RTI. Each individual risk behavior was significantly correlated with PAS and RIAS. PC was not significantly related to RTI or RIAS.

CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents who perceive their parents as autonomy supportive are more likely to hold intrinsic aspirations and are less likely to engage in high risk behaviors. These adolescents may be better able to resist peer and media promotion of smoking, alcohol and sexual activity and lead healthier lives. Parents can play an active role in the healthy development of their adolescent by being autonomy supportive and involved.