Differences In Risky Behavior Research Articles

Contextualizing the Social and Educational Journeys of Adolescents within the Life Course.

What happens during adolescence emerges from early in life and sets the stage for later in life. This linking function of adolescence within the life course is grounded in social, psychological, and biological development and is fundamental to the intergenerational transmission of societal inequalities. This article explores this life course phenomenon by focusing on how the social ups and downs of secondary school shape adolescents' educational trajectories, translating their backgrounds into their futures through the interplay of their personal agency with the constraints imposed by the stratified institutions they navigate. Illustrative examples include gender differences in risky behavior, racialized experiences of school discipline, immigrant youths' family relations, LGBTQ students' school safety, STEM education, adverse childhood experiences, and mindset interventions.

Boundary conditions for gender differences in risk taking

Gender differences in risky behavior and decision-making have been observed across a number of behavioral domains. Reviews of this literature have tended to overlook the question of whether specific objective situational factors that are relevant to a particular risky decision moderate observed gender differences within risk domains. The current work explores this question by employing a naturalistic observation method. Over 2,700 pedestrians were observed crossing a busy intersection adjacent to a college campus in the southeastern U.S. Observers noted the number of male and female pedestrians present during each cycle of the traffic signal as well as how many individuals of each gender either crossed when the ‘don’t walk’ sign was active or waited for the safer ‘walk’ signal in order to cross. Also noted was whether these pedestrians were crossing at a ‘low risk’ area of the intersection, where a concrete safety island was present, or a ‘high risk’ area, where there was no safety island. The oft-observed gender difference in physical risk-taking was observed, with men being substantially more likely to cross during a ‘don’t walk’ signal compared to women. However, this was only observed at the ‘low risk’ area of the intersection. In contrast, risk-taking did not differ by gender at the ‘high risk’ crossing area. Implications for the understanding of the nature of gender-differences in risk taking are discussed.

Psychosocial functioning and adjustment to university settings: comparing students with chronic illnesses to healthy peers

Purpose College students with chronic illnesses are vulnerable to poor adjustment, but it remains unclear how these students differ from healthy peers. This study compares psychosocial adjustment and risky behavior between students with and without chronic illnesses. Participants: Participants (N = 629, 78% Caucasian, 77% Female) were recruited from universities. Methods: Participants completed measures of illness history, anxiety, depression, stressful life events, social support, and risky behavior. Results: College students with chronic illnesses demonstrated significantly greater symptoms of anxiety F(1,620) = 8.742, p < .003, depression F(1,614) = 26.947, p < .001, more stressful life events F(1,476) = 23.671, p < .001, and lower social support F(1,613) = 15.645, p < .001. No differences in risky behaviors between groups emerged F(1,601) = 3.432, p = .064. An indirect effect of health status on risk-taking behavior was observed [b = .677, 95% CI (.351, 1.072)] partially mediated by depression. Conclusion: College students with chronic illnesses demonstrated worse psychosocial outcomes than healthy students, warranting programs to support these students. Depressive symptoms partially mediated risky behavior.

1.3 ASSOCIATION BETWEEN RISKY BEHAVIOR AND GENDER: EVIDENCE FROM LEBANON

Adolescence is a crucial period of transition from childhood to adulthood, when individuals undergo a rapid developmental period that impacts their social, physical, and mental growth. Many adolescents begin to engage in risky behaviors that lead to behavioral patterns that result in large-scale negative impacts on short- and long-term health outcomes, as well as contribute to leading causes of mortality and morbidity in adolescents. Lebanon is a country in the Eastern Mediterranean Region with a uniquely diverse population that is varied in religion, socioeconomic status, education, and culture. Currently, there are many studies that assess the association between one type of risky behavior and gender in Lebanon, but there are limited data available on the effect of gender on multiple determinants of risky behavior. This study aims to investigate the potential differences in risky behaviors between female and male Lebanese adolescents.

Person Perception, Attractiveness, and Assessment of Men with Tendency to Take Risks: Evolutionary Aspects

The male behavioural strategy associated with physical risk is one of the universal foundations on which the ideas of masculinity established in society are based. Risk-taking propensity in general can signal a man's greater competitiveness, and physically risky actions can be perceived as "courageous" behavior and evidence of strength and athleticism. The results of a number of experimental studies and observations recorded sexual differences in risky behavior. In particular, young men are more likely to take physical risks than women. Evolutionary scientists have suggested that these differences may be a result of male competition for access to sexual partners. In this study we present an analysis of male and female physical risk assessments of men in the Russian sample (n = 701). Men and women were offered vignettes describing men who differed in risk-taking propensity. Respondents needed to assess the attractiveness of men in the context of long-term romantic and short-term (so-called "one night stand") relationships, as well as to assess their competitiveness, tendency to aggression, provisioning quality and a tendency to dangerous health behavior (alcohol abuse, unprotected sex, etc.). The degree of risk tolerance was significant in the evaluation of all the proposed parameters. Men who demonstrate an average degree of risk-taking propensity received the highest ratings for attractiveness for short-term relationships. Low-risk men were found to be more attractive in long-term relationships and able to provide the best quality of life. Men who choose a type of activity associated with constant physical risk and danger were assessed as the most aggressive and competitive. In addition, high risk propensity was associated with a higher propensity for unhealthy lifestyles and bad habits. Thus, male risk-taking behaviour affects men's social perception, attractiveness and quality assessment, and a high degree of risk-taking is not always perceived as a positive quality.

Prediction of individual differences in risky behavior in young adults via variations in local brain structure.

In recent years the problem of how inter-individual differences play a role in risk-taking behavior has become a much debated issue. We investigated this problem based on the well-known balloon analog risk task (BART) in 48 healthy subjects in which participants inflate a virtual balloon opting for a higher score in the face of a riskier chance of the balloon explosion. In this study, based on a structural Voxel Based Morphometry (VBM) technique we demonstrate a significant positive correlation between BART score and size of the gray matter volume in the anterior insula in riskier subjects. Although the anterior insula is among the candidate brain areas that were involved in the risk taking behavior in fMRI studies, here based on our structural data it is the only area that was significantly related to structural variation among different subjects.

Young adult cannabis users report greater propensity for risk-taking only in non-monetary domains

BackgroundThough substance use is often associated with elevated risk-taking in real-world scenarios, many risk-taking tasks in experimental psychology using financial gambles fail to find significant differences between individuals with substance use disorders and healthy controls. We assessed whether participants using marijuana would show a greater propensity for risk-taking in distinct domains including, but not limited to, financial risk-taking. MethodsIn the current study, we assessed risk-taking in young adult (age 18–25) regular marijuana users and in non-using control participants using a domain-specific risk-taking self-report scale (DOSPERT) encompassing five domains of risk-taking (social, financial, recreational, health/safety, and ethical). We also measured behavioral risk-taking using a laboratory monetary risk-taking task. ResultsMarijuana users and controls reported significant differences on the social, health/safety, and ethical risk-taking scales, but no differences in the propensity to take recreational or financial risks. Complementing the self-report finding, there were no differences between marijuana users and controls in their performance on the laboratory risk-taking task. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that financial risk-taking may be less sensitive than other domains of risk-taking in assessing differences in risky behavior between those who use marijuana and those who do not. In order to more consistently determine whether increased risk-taking is a factor in substance use, it may be necessary to use both monetary risk-taking tasks and complementary assessments of non-monetary-based risk-taking measures.

Adolescents misusing prescription drugs: who’s the riskiest users of them all?

Early age of onset of alcohol use or prescription drug misuse (PDM) is associated with later alcohol or prescription drug-related substance use disorders. While the prevalence of PDM among youth continues to increase at an alarming rate, relatively little research attention has been given to the study of adolescent PDM. The present study examined differences in risky behaviors (hazardous drinking and externalizing symptoms) and impulsivity among adolescents (N = 111) who reported current PDM and underage alcohol use (i.e. PDM and alcohol use in past 30 days; n = 37), current underage alcohol use only (i.e. past-30-day alcohol use but no PDM in past 30 days; n = 37) and those who reported no alcohol or drug use in past 30 days (n = 37). Findings indicated that adolescents who reported current PDM also reported highest levels of hazardous alcohol use and impulsivity compared to adolescents in the current alcohol-only and current non-user groups. Adolescents who reported current PDM also reported higher levels of externalizing symptoms than did non-current using adolescents. Overall, the results of the present study suggest that adolescents who misuse prescription drugs could be at high risk for involvement in other types of problem behaviors.

Sibling differences in parent–child conflict and risky behavior: A three-wave longitudinal study.

To better understand why siblings growing up in the same family are often as different as unrelated individuals, this study explored the role of differential experiences with parents in the development of sibling differences. Cross-lagged models tested directions of effect by examining whether differential parent-child conflict predicted sibling differences in risky behavior over time, or vice versa. Participants were mothers, fathers, and the 2 eldest adolescent siblings (mean ages at Time 1 = 15.12 and 12.58 years) from 355 European American, working- and middle-class families. On 3 occasions over a 2-year period, mothers and fathers reported on their conflict with each of the 2 siblings, and siblings reported on their own risky behavior. Results revealed that, controlling for sibling age differences and average levels of conflict and risky behavior at Time 1, youths who had more conflict with their mothers and fathers in relation to their siblings subsequently engaged in relatively more risky behavior. Also, youths who engaged in more risky behavior in relation to their siblings experienced relatively more conflict with their fathers, but not mothers, at later time points. Findings highlight the importance of examining both family dynamics and child characteristics in understanding sibling differentiation, and illuminate potential differences in parenting processes involving mothers versus fathers.

Psychobiological models of adolescent risk: Implications for prevention and intervention

Psychobiological models of risk have much to contribute to the prevention of and intervention with risky behavior among adolescents. Emerging research is beginning to provide better information about mechanisms underlying individual differences in risky behavior (e.g., differences in self-regulation) and providing insight into unique vulnerabilities that occur during adolescence (e.g., increases in reward seeking). This work suggests ways in which prevention programming can be designed to be sensitive to both individual differences and developmental timing. Psychobiological models of risk also have practical implications for the manner and methods of conducting prevention and intervention work. Future work in both the etiology and prevention of risky behavior can benefit from ongoing dialogue and has the potential to result in a more sophisticated understanding of the mechanisms of change related to risky behavior. .