THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PARENTLESS OF ADOLESCENTS AND RISK BEHAVIORS

Abstract

The loss of a parent is a traumatic and difficult experience for a person, especially for children and youth. Loss takes from us a very close and significant person (droum, 1990). The loss of a parent in adolescence requires the adolescent to cope cognitively, behaviourally and emotionally (Valenci & Vinai, 2004). In this study, we will combine the two methods of the study: quantitative and qualitative, to examine the relationship between the experience of loss and the functioning of adolescents (100 adolescent students), and the relationship to risk behaviours? Moreover, to examine the differences between the loss of a father and the loss of a mother and their effects on school performance. This is done by means of questionnaires and interviews that are given to them in schools in the Arab sector, analyzing the data using a statistical tool SPSS. The findings of the study confirmed that there are significant differences in the level of school adaptation be-tween both adolescents’ boys and adolescent’s girls and in the essence of loss. so that the level of school adaptation among adolescents’ girls is higher than the level of school adaptation among adolescents’ boys.