Coping styles and risk behaviors tendencies among Latinamerican adolescents

RESUMEN El objetivo de la presente investigacion es analizar la relacion entre las estrategias de afrontamiento y tendencias hacia conductas de riesgo en un grupo de adolescentes de Peru y Costa Rica. La muestra estuvo conformada por 829 adolescentes entre 16 y 17 anos de edad, 428 peruanos y 401 Costarricenses. Se utilizo el Coping Across-Situations Questionnaire (CASQ; Inge, 1995) para evaluar el afrontamiento y el Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; CDC, 2006) para evaluar las conductas de riesgo. Se encontro diferencias significativas en las conductas de riesgo y afrontamiento segun pais, genero y tipo de escuela. Los resultados son una primera aproximacion al estudio de variables relevantes para la salud mental y podrian ser consideradas para futuros programas de intervencion. Palabras clave: estilos de afrontamiento, tendencia a emitir conductas de riesgo, adolescentes, escuelas secundarias, Peru, Costa Rica. ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between the coping styles and risk behavior tendencies in a group of adolescent from Peru and Costa Rica. The total sample grouped 829 adolescents between 16 and 17 years old, 428 were Peruvian and 401 from Costa Rica. We applied the Coping across situations Questionnaire (CASQ; Inge, 1995) to assess coping and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; CDC, 2006) to assess risk behavior. Significant differences were found in relation to the risk behavior tendencies and the coping styles according to country, gender and type of school. These results were the first step to study relevant variables associated to mental health and they could be considered for future intervention programs. Key words: coping, risk behaviors tendencies, adolescents, secondary school, Peru, Costa Rica.