Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was designed to test and develop a structural model that explains health promotion behaviors of elementary school students in Korea.
METHOD
Data were collected using questionnaires from 329 6th-grade elementary school students in a city. The data were analyzed using LISREL 8.0 program.
RESULT
Health promoting behaviors were directly affected by some of predictive factors particularly self-efficacy, self-esteem, perceived health status, importance of health and internal locus of control. These predictive variables of health promotion behaviors explained 67% of the total variance in the model. Life satisfaction was directly affected by self-efficacy, health promotion behaviors, self-esteem, importance of health, internal locus of control and perceived health status. Powerful other locus of control was identified as an important variable that contributed indirectly to the improvement of life satisfaction through enhancing health promoting behaviors. These predictive variables of life satisfaction explained 46% of the total variance in the model.
CONCLUSION
The derived model in this study is considered appropriate in predicting health promotion behaviors and life satisfaction in elementary school students in Korea. Also it can be used effectively as a reference model for further study, and it is suggest that this study be used to set the direction of health promoting education.

• Keywords: Health promotion