Adolescent health-risk behaviours are on the rise globally and their prevalence is also alarmingly increasing in Asian countries. The trends of health-risk behaviours present a gory picture of adolescents all over the world. Today’s adolescents indulge in tobacco, alcohol and other drug use, irresponsible sexual behaviours, unhealthy dietary behaviour and physical inactivity. As period of adolescence is becoming longer day by day and opportunities to go astray are many, adolescent health-risk behaviours are rising. The present research is an attempt to conceptualize adolescent healthrisk behaviours in the light of adolescent psychosocial developmental task viz. identity formation and the development of emotional autonomy. Classic and recent viewpoints regarding the implications of emotional autonomy for adolescent development are discussed. Also, it becomes evident that identity achievement predicts healthy outcomes for adolescents, while identity diffusion, inability to conceptualize ones’ self and exploration of various life patterns is associated with faulty lifestyles in adolescents.
Journal of Indian Health Psychology Vol. 4, No. 2, March, 2010