Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior(IMCHB) of Cox repeatedly and to determine the contributions of sociodemographic variables, health experiences, family functioning, intrinsic motivation, health perception, self esteem, to health behavior of highschool students. A convenient sample of 2nd grade highschool students(N=638) responded to self-report questionnaires. The IMCHB was then tested with data using SAS program by frequency, t-test, ANOVA, regression. The results were as follows 1. Health behaviors were found to be gender specific. 2. From the body's model, mother and students health affected health perception and self-esteem among a set of background variables. Health perception and self-esteem are related to health behaviors. 20% of the varience in body's health behavior are explained by health perception and self-esteem. 3. From the girls model, students health explained 13.3% of health perception varience and father's health explained 11.6% of self-esteem varience. 16% of health behavior varience are explained by health perception and self-esteem. The results indicated that there was a relatively poor fit of the IMCHB to the highschool students data. But further study using the IMCHB to define health outcome in student is needed to verify the linkage. The model generated in this study clarified the contribution of some factors such as parental and student's health status. The results also indicated that the schoolnurse has to develop the health care program for students and their parent with community resources to improve health perception and self-esteem of students for intervening health behavior of highschool students.