This present study evaluates the relation between affiliation to formal groups and gender and self-esteem, life satisfaction and purpose of life, altogether, as components of the quality of life of adolescents. This is a transversal study, with a sample of 748 teenager students from the first year of high school, ages between 13 and 22 years-old, of state public schools of a city in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre. The instruments used to collect the data were: Pil Test, Brief Life Satisfaction Scale and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale. The results indicate that the three aspects evaluated, altogether, were significantly affected by the affiliation to groups (F(3, 698)= 2,88, p<0,05), but not by gender. The adolescent quality of life is better among youngsters who take part in formal groups. The study points out to the participation in formal groups as an indicative of positive health and a relevant aspect for health promotion.
Adolescence; Affiliation to formal groups; Quality of life
