Resumen

LEON SANCHEZ, Daniel; CAMACHO DELGADO, Ramón; VALENCIA ORTIZ, María del Refugio  y  RODRIGUEZ-OROZCO, Alain R.. Preuniversity adolescents' perception of the functioning of their families. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 2008, vol.80, n.3. ISSN 0034-7531.

INTRODUCTION: Family dysfunction is a significant factor conditioning the appearance of sociocultural and health problems in adolescents, such as drug dependence, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, school desertion, depressison, and suicide. The aim of this research was to assess how adolescents perceive the functioning of their families. METHODS: A descriptive study that included all the adolescents aged 15-19 that were studying in No. 1 preuniversitary school of " Colegio Primitivo and Nacional of San Nicolás de Hidalgo", Michoacán, Mexico, from 2001 to 2002, was conducted. An anonymous survey was done among the adolescents that decided to take part and they assessed the functioning of their respective families by means of the family Apgar. RESULTS: A family dysfunction associated with high educational level in parents (p <0.005, phi = 0.241), with the occupational status of their parents (p < 0.001, phi = 0.775), with a great frequency of addiction in adolescents (p < 0.005, phi = 0.465), and with a trend to spend more free time with friends (p < 0.005, phi = 0.286) was found. Adolescents still trust their original families. They consider it as a support source, and they assess its functioning without exonerating it from their failures.They demand the right to be taken into account and to grow and mature. CONCLUSIONS: Family, as the firt responsible for education, conveys a wide range of behaviours that are integrated to the to the personality of the subject, who internalizes and appropriates them.

Palabras clave : Family functioning; adolescent; family; family Apgar.

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