The association between school pressure and risk behavior among Dutch high school students aged 11-18 years old

Abstract

This study examined whether school pressure is linked to risk behaviors (specifically alcohol and tobacco use) among Dutch high school students aged 11 to 18, and whether gender and school level influence this relationship. Using cross-sectional data from 5,719 participants from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, binary logistic regression analyses showed that higher school pressure is associated with greater risk behavior and particularly tobacco use. Gender differences were not significant and school level differences were minimal. These results suggest that school-based interventions aiming to reduce tobacco use should focus on addressing school pressure.