Adolescent Risk-taking Behavior Research Articles

Is Adolescent Risk Behavior Associated With Cross-Household Family Complexity? An Analysis of Post-separation Families in 42 Countries.

We examine whether complex cross-household structures of post-separation families are associated with higher risk-taking behavior in adolescence (substance use, bullying, early sexual onset) and whether the proportion, and thus statistical normality, of complex family types in a certain country is a potential moderator of this association. Drawing on representative data from 42 countries and regions from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in 2001, 2006, and 2010 (N = 506,977), we provide detailed analyses on adolescent risk behavior even for very rare family types, thereby accounting for the complex cross-household structure present in many post-separation families. We combine logistic and count regression models to analyze risk incidence and intensity. Controlling for relevant child and family characteristics, our results reveal a gradient along which adolescent risk-taking increases with family complexity: The incidence and intensity of risk-taking among adolescents is lowest in two-biological-parent and highest in two-household families with stepparents in both households. The association decreases with a higher proportion of the respective family type in a country. However, the differences between family types, other than the two-biological parent family, are not as pronounced as expected.

Applying an Evolutionary Approach of Risk-Taking Behaviors in Adolescents.

Risk-taking behaviors in adolescents have traditionally been analyzed from a psychopathological approach, with an excessive emphasis on their potential costs. From evolutionary theory we propose that risk-taking behaviors can be means through which adolescents obtain potential benefits for survival and reproduction. The present study analyses sex differences in three contexts of risk (i.e., risk propensity, expected benefits and risk perception) in the evolutionary specific domains and the predictive value of these domains over risk-taking behaviors, separately in female and male adolescents. 749 adolescents (females = 370) valued their risk perception, expected benefits and risk propensity through the Evolutionary Domain-Specific Risk Scale, as well as their engagement in risk-taking behaviors through the Risky Behavior Questionnaire. Male adolescents showed lower risk perception in two evolutionary domains, expected higher benefits in two other domains and showed higher risk propensity in six domains. Female adolescents showed lower risk perception in two domains. Additionally, risk perception, expected benefits and risk propensity in the evolutionary domains predicted the engagement in risk-taking behaviors in male adolescents, whereas in female adolescents only expected benefits and risk propensity showed a predictive effect over risk-taking behaviors. These results suggest the potential role of evolutionary mechanisms on risk-taking behaviors in adolescents. Results have practical implications for interventions programs aimed at reducing risk-taking behaviors. In addition to considering sex differences, intervention programs should consider alternative behaviors through which adolescents can reach their evolutionary goals, and handle the risks related to those behaviors that cannot be replaced but have potential benefits for adolescents.

Prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides and risk-taking behaviors in early adulthood

IntroductionPrevious studies show evidence for associations of prenatal exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides with poorer childhood neurodevelopment. As children grow older, poorer cognition, executive function, and school performance can give rise to risk-taking behaviors, including substance abuse, delinquency, and violent acts. We investigated whether prenatal OP exposure was associated with these risk-taking behaviors in adolescence and young adulthood in a Mexican American cohort.MethodsWe measured urinary dialkyl phosphates (DAPs), non-specific metabolites of OPs, twice (13 and 26 weeks gestation) in pregnant women recruited in 1999–2000 in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, a birth cohort set in a primarily Latino agricultural community in the Salinas Valley, California. We followed up children throughout their childhood and adolescence; at the 18-year visit, adolescent youth (n = 315) completed a computer-based questionnaire which included questions about substance use, risky sexual activity, risky driving, and delinquency and police encounters. We used multivariable models to estimate associations of prenatal total DAPs with these risk-taking behaviors.ResultsThe prevalence of risk-taking behaviors in CHAMACOS youth ranged from 8.9% for smoking or vaping nicotine to 70.2% for committing a delinquent act. Associations of total prenatal DAPs (geometric mean = 132.4 nmol/L) with risk-taking behavior were generally null and imprecise. Isolated findings included a higher risk for smoking or vaping nicotine within the past 30 days (relative risk [RR] per 10-fold increase in prenatal DAPs = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.00, 3.56) and driving without a license (RR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.25, 2.42). There were no consistent differences by sex or childhood adversity.DiscussionWe did not find clear or consistent evidence for associations of prenatal OP exposure with risk-taking behaviors in adolescence/early adulthood in the CHAMACOS population. Our small sample size may have prevented us from detecting potentially subtle associations of early life OP exposure with these risk-taking behaviors.

The Effect of Alexithymia on Adolescent Risk-taking Behavior

The Effect of Alexithymia on Adolescent Risk-taking Behavior

Adolescent risk-taking in the context of exploration and social influence

Adolescents are often described as a strange and different species that behaves like no other age group, typical behaviours being excessive risk-taking and sensitivity to peer influence. Different theories of adolescent behaviour attribute this to different internal mechanisms like undeveloped cognitive control, higher sensation-seeking or extraordinary social motivation. Many agree that some of adolescent risk-taking behaviour is adaptive. Here we argue that to understand adolescent risk-taking, and why it may be adaptive, research needs to pay attention to the adolescent environments’ structure and view adolescents as learning and exploring agents in it. We identify three unique aspects of the adolescent environment: 1) the opportunities to take risks are increased significantly, 2) these opportunities are novel and their outcomes uncertain, and 3) peers become more important. Next, we illustrate how adolescent risk-taking may emerge from learning using agent-based modelling, and show that a typical inverted-U shape in risk-taking may emerge in absence of a specific adolescent motivational drive for sensation-seeking or sensitivity to social information. The simulations also show how risky exploration may be necessary for adolescents to gain long-term benefits in later developmental stages and that social learning can help reduce losses. Finally, we discuss how a renewed ecological perspective and the focus on adolescents as learning agents may shift the interpretation of current findings and inspire future studies.

Leisure Noise Exposure and Associated Health-Risk Behavior in Adolescents: An Explanatory Study among Two Different Educational Programs in Flanders.

Adolescents frequently engage in noisy leisure activities which can result in hearing-related problems. However, the effect of leisure noise exposure is liable to an individual’s risk-taking behavior. Identifying leisure noise activities and relevant factors related to risk-taking behavior in adolescents, are important to optimize hearing conservation programs targeting youngsters. The purpose of the study was to explore the presence of hearing-related symptoms, as well as noise exposure during various activities, and the use of hearing protector devices (HPDs) in adolescents in two educational programs in Flanders. In addition, their attitudes and beliefs towards noise, hearing loss, and HPDs were investigated. The final sample consisted of 247 adolescents. The most important hearing-related symptoms after noise exposure were tinnitus and noise sensitivity. With regard to leisure noise exposure, listening to PMPs was most frequently reported. The use of HPDs during most noisy activities was limited, in accordance with the presence of hearing-related symptoms, considering noise as unproblematic, and having worse scores on subscales of the beliefs about hearing protection and hearing loss scale. In the future, hearing conservation programs should target adolescents specifically for a more health-orientated behavior towards noise exposure, hearing loss, and HPDs.

Majority and popularity effects on norm formation in adolescence

Personal norms consist of individuals’ attitudes about the appropriateness of behaviour. These norms guide adolescents’ behaviour in countless domains that are fundamental for their social functioning and well-being. Peers are known to have a marked influence on adolescent risk-taking and prosocial behaviour, but little is known about how peers shape personal norms underlying those behaviours. Here we show that adolescents’ personal norms are decisively moulded by the norms of the majority and popular peers in their social network. Our experiment indicates that observing peer norms substantially impacts adolescents’ normative evaluation of risk-taking and prosocial behaviours. The majority norm had a stronger impact than the norm of a single popular peer, and norm adjustments were largest when adolescents observed strong disapproval of risk-taking or strong approval of prosocial behaviour. Our study suggests that learning about peer norms likely promotes adolescents to hold views and values supporting socially desirable behaviour.

Sensation Seeking, Peer Influence, and Risk-Taking Behavior in Adolescents

This research was conducted to explore the relationship between sensation seeking, peer influence, and risk-taking behavior in adolescents and moderating role of peer influence for sensation seeking and risk-taking behavior. A sample comprised 200 adolescents with age range 10–18 years (M = 17.57, SD = 0.98). Assessment measures included Resistance to Peer Influence Scale (Steinberg and Silverberg (1986)), Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (Prinstein et al. (2003)), and Stimulating and Instrumental Risk questionnaire (Ravert et al. (2009)) and a demographic information sheet. Findings of Pearson product moment analysis revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between sensation seeking and risk-taking behavior in adolescents and there was a significant positive relationship between peer influences and risk-taking behavior in adolescents. Gender differences were observed; male participants scored higher on sensation seeking and risk-taking behavior than female participants, but on peer influence, females scored higher than males. Moderation analysis through hierarchical regression was conducted and findings of this analysis revealed that sensation seeking positively predicted risk-taking behavior and peer influences also positively predicted risk-taking behavior in adolescents but no interaction effect was observed between sensation seeking and peer influence in predicting risk-taking behavior. Moreover, subscales of sensation seeking, i.e., adventure seeking and disinhibition, predicted risk-taking behavior. Results are discussed in terms of their implications.

Associations between Early Psychosocial Deprivation, Cognitive and Psychiatric Morbidity, and Risk-taking Behavior in Adolescence

ABSTRACT Objective Early psychosocial deprivation increases the risk of later cognitive and psychiatric problems, but not all deprived children show these difficulties. Here, we examine the extent to which psychosocial deprivation increases the risk of later cognitive and psychiatric difficulties and the downstream consequences of this for risk-taking behavior in adolescence. Method Children abandoned to institutions early in life were randomly assigned to care-as-usual or a foster care intervention during infancy. A separate group of never-institutionalized children was recruited as a comparison sample. The current follow-up study included 165 children (51% female), 113 with a history of institutionalization and 52 with no such history. At age 12, caregivers reported on children’s psychiatric difficulties, and their IQ was assessed by standardized testing. At 16 years, risk-taking behavior was assessed from youth self-reports. Results Latent profile analysis revealed three subgroups of children with varying levels of cognitive and psychiatric difficulties: Low-Morbidity (n = 104, 62.7%), Medium-Morbidity (n = 46, 27.9%), and High-Morbidity (n = 15, 9.4%). Nearly half of the institutionalized children belonged to the High- or Medium-Morbidity subgroups; and institutionally-reared children were significantly more likely to belong to one of these profiles than never-institutionalized children. Compared to the Low-Morbidity subgroup, membership in the Medium-Morbidity profile was associated with higher levels of risk-taking behavior at age 16 years. Conclusions Children who experience psychosocial deprivation are considerably more likely to present with elevated cognitive and psychiatric difficulties in early adolescence and, for some children, this elevation is linked to heightened risk-taking behavior in later adolescence.

PEER PRESSURE AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AS PREDICTORS OF ADOLESCENT RISK BEHAVIORS

Understanding the factors associated with adolescent risk behaviors is an important research topic in Serbia. The aim of this study was to examine whether peer pressure and academic achievement predict adolescent risk behaviours such as cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol, marijuana use and unprotected sex. The data was collected from 181 (68% female) second-grade students of two secondary schools. The questionnaire for assessing peer pressure, risk behaviors, as well as socio-demographic variables was applied. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the perceived peer pressure and academic achievement both predict various types of risky behaviors among adolescents. The findings of this study can have implications for improving the prevention of risk-taking behaviors in adolescence.

RISKY BEHAVIOR AS A FORM OF AUTOAGGRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS. THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS

Risky behavior is considered in constructive and destructive aspects. The constructive aspect consists of adaptation to the dynamics of modern life. The destructive aspect is about the desire for danger, adventure, that leads to a threat to health and mental health. The problem of risky behavior as a manifestation of autoaggression is particularly relevant in the period of adolescence from 10 to 16 years. About 70 % of adolescent deaths are caused by risk-taking. Aim. The purpose of this work is to study the concepts of risky behavior, its types and prevention. Results. Risky behavior is a form of deviant behavior if it does not meet the standards adopted in a particular society at a certain time and involves an objective danger to the individual. In this regard, this behavior is considered as one of the manifestations of autoaggression. Adolescent risky behavior is caused by a number of biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors. From an existential perspective, risky behavior is a choice made without reference to the value of one's own life. A teenager's perception of risk is associated with overcoming the fear of death, trying to take control of the situation. The types of autoaggressive risky behavior include ignoring traffic rules, offenses, casual sexual relations and unprotected sex, as well as the use of psychoactive substances. Conclusion. Adolescent risky behavior is a normative phenomenon of age, which under the influence of a number of adverse factors is modified into autoaggressive forms. Autoaggressive risky behavior is a way to regulate the fear of death and existential anxiety. This destructive behavior allows the adolescent to experience a surrogate sense of self-actualization: “I was able”, “I coped”, “I am successful”, which later forms a special way of responding to difficult life situations – addressing the topic of death as a way out of the crisis. An integral part of prevention of self-injurious, risk-taking behaviors of adolescents needs to be existential and personalized approach.

Parent-Adolescent Communication on Sexual Issues as Predictor of Sexual-Risk Reduction behaviour among in-School Adolescents in Selected Secondary Schools in Yei River State-South Sudan

The study investigated the parent-adolescent communication on sexual issues as predictors of sexual-risk reduction among in-school adolescents in secondary school. Teenage pregnancy and adolescent birth rates are high at 300/1000 and 158/1000 live births respectively in 2018. Frequent discussion on sexual behaviour is more likely to reduce adolescent risk-taking sexual behaviors. However, there is a paucity of evidence about adolescent parent communication in Yei River State. A cross-sectional study using both quantitative and qualitative approaches involving 156 participants to explore the parent-adolescent communication frequency and topics discussed among secondary school adolescents was carried out. Respondents were recruited from the ten functional secondary schools in Yei River state from secondary school class 1 to 4. The inclusion criteria consider secondary school adolescent aged 15 to 19, parental consent and adolescent acceptance to participate in the study. Adolescent below the age 15 and young men above 19 years of age were excluded from the study. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaire, the date collected were coded first and analyzed suing SPSS version 21. The percentage of adolescents who had more than three sessions of communication with their parents about sexual behaviour was nearly 43% in which, majority 67% reported to have frequent discussions with their mothers and the commonly discussed topics were biological and physical development. The study concluded that a few adolescents have frequent communication with their parents on sexual behaviours. This study recommends, repeat of the current study in some states for comparison, as well as a study focusing on both out of school and school adolescent to explore more.

Assessing the relation of chemical and non-chemical stressors with risk-taking related behavior and adaptive individual attributes among adolescents living near the New Bedford Harbor Superfund site

BackgroundEarly life exposure to neurotoxicants and non-chemical psychosocial stressors can impede development of prefrontal cortical functions that promote behavioral regulation and thereby may predispose to adolescent risk-taking related behaviors (e.g., substance use or high-risk sexual activity). This is particularly concerning for communities exposed to multiple stressors. MethodsThis study examined the relation of exposure to mixtures of chemical stressors, non-chemical psychosocial stressors, and other risk factors with neuropsychological correlates of risk-taking. Specifically, we assessed psychometric measures of both adverse behavioral regulation and adaptive attributes among adolescents (age ∼ 15 years) in the New Bedford Cohort (NBC), a sociodemographically diverse cohort of 788 children born 1993–1998 to mothers residing near the New Bedford Harbor Superfund site. The NBC includes biomarkers of prenatal exposure to organochlorines and metals; sociodemographic, parental and home characteristics; and periodic neurodevelopmental assessments. We modelled exposure mixtures using multi-dimensional smooths within generalized additive models. ResultsChildren of younger mothers with lower IQ who were exposed prenatally to higher polychlorinated biphenyls and lead had poorer anger control. This pattern was not apparent for children of older mothers with higher IQs. Direction of associations between increased hyperactivity and prenatal levels of organochlorine mixtures differed by maternal age and depression symptoms. Higher cord blood Pb levels, in conjunction with poorer HOME scores, were associated with poorer self-esteem when mothers had fewer depression symptoms. ConclusionsAnalyses suggest that prenatal chemical exposures and non-chemical factors interact to contribute to neuropsychological correlates of risk-taking behaviors in adolescence. By simultaneously considering multiple factors associated with adverse behavioral regulation, we identified potential high-risk combinations that reflect both chemical and psychosocial stressors amenable to intervention.

Age at menarche associated with subsequent educational attainment and risk-taking behaviours: The Pelotas 1982 Birth Cohort

Background: Earlier age at menarche (AAM), a marker of puberty timing in females, has been associated with a higher likelihood of adolescent risk-taking behaviours and variably associated with educ...

Relationship between circadian typology and risk-taking behaviors in adolescents: A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThis study examined the relationship between circadian typology and risk-taking behavior. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 755 primary and junior school students aged 11–16 years. The Adolescent Risk-Taking Questionnaire and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire were administered to assess risk-taking behavior and circadian typology, respectively. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to analyze the factors influencing risk-taking behavior. ResultsCircadian typology was negatively correlated with risk-taking behavior, with age and sex controlled for (Model 1). When family and class circumstances were added in Model 2, the significance of the association persisted (β=−1.67, 95% CI: [−2.93, −0.42], P=.009). However, the association between circadian typology and risk-taking behavior showed no significance (P=0.050) when personality characteristics were controlled for in Model 3. ConclusionsThese results provide evidence indicating a relationship between circadian typology and risk-taking behavior, suggesting that evening circadian type is a risk factor for risk-taking behavior in adolescents.

Don't shoot!: State-wide police shootings, adolescent risk-taking behaviors, and the historic influence of wealth

The present study uses Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory as a framework for understanding the influence of state-wide fatal police shootings and wealth on a host of adolescent risk-taking behaviors (i.e. sexual risk taking, tobacco use, drug use, alcohol use, and suicide risk). Using data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, associations were tested among black and white adolescents from five states (N=13,314). State-wide police shootings were positively associated with drug use, alcohol use, and suicide risk among black adolescents. In contrast, state-wide police shootings, alone, were not associated with any risk-taking behaviors among white adolescents. However, wealth mattered, such that increases in wealth were significantly associated with lower sexual risk-taking, drug use, and suicide risk for white adolescents. Wealth was only associated with lower alcohol use among black adolescents. Our results indicate that state-wide fatal police shootings may shape adolescent health in unfavorable ways – namely among Black youth. Wealth may serve as a buffer against the negative effects of state-wide fatal police shootings.

Sexual and reproductive health communication between parents and high school adolescents in Vientiane Prefecture, Lao PDR

ABSTRACT Background Adolescent health has become a priority on the global health agenda. Parent-adolescent communication regarding sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues can help to reduce adolescent risk-taking sexual behaviours. Objective This study was to describe the situation of SRH communication, and to determine the factors associated with SRH communication between high school students and their parents in Vientiane Capital prefecture, Lao PDR. Methods A multistage sampling technique was applied. A self-administered questionnaire was implemented among a sample of 384 high school students aged 14–17 in Vientiane. SRH communication in this study was recorded as the frequency with which adolescents discussed with their parents at least four topics on SRH issues during a six-month period prior to the interview. Data were entered and analysed using Epi Data software version 6.0 and STATA software version 14.2. Results Slightly more than one-fifth of the students (21.3%) communicated with parents on SRH issues. The multivariate logistic regression model showed that being a male adolescent (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.2 to 3.5), urban school locations (AOR = 0.2; 95% CI 0.1 to 0.5), a mature father (AOR = 1.7; 95% CI 1.0 to 2.9), positive attitudes towards general communication with parents (AOR = 2.2; 95% CI 1.1 to 4.2) and accessibility to multiple SRH information sources (AOR = 5.2; 95% CI 2.4 to 11.4) were significantly associated with adolescent-parent communication on SRH issues. Conclusion This study showed that student-parent communication on SRH issues was low, so policymakers should develop programs to improve SRH communication skills in all schools and encourage open discussion among family members, especially with respect to the participation of adolescent girls. The positive attitudes of students and multiple sources of SRH information were also important factors in improving SRH communication.

Mobile Phone Addiction and Risk-Taking Behavior among Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model.

Objectives: The mobile phone (MP) is an indispensable digital device in adolescents’ daily lives in the contemporary era, but being addicted to MP can lead to more risk-taking behavior. However, little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relation. To address the gaps in the literature, the present study examined the idea that MP addiction is associated with reduced self-control, which further associates with increased risk-taking behavior. In addition, this study also investigated the moderation effect of adolescent sex in the association between MP addiction and self-control. Methods: A three-wave longitudinal study, each wave spanning six months apart, was conducted in a sample of Chinese adolescents (final N = 333, 57.4% girls). Results: Results of the moderated mediation model suggest that after controlling for demographic variables and baseline levels of self-control and risk-taking behavior, MP addiction at T1 positively predicted increased risk-taking behavior at T3 through reduced self-control at T2 for girls but not for boys. Conclusions: Theoretically, these findings contribute to the understanding about the working processes in the association between MP addiction and risk-taking behavior in adolescents. Practically, the results implied that boosting self-control appeared as a promising way to reduce girls’ risk-taking behavior, particularly for those who are addicted to MPs.

Risk Taking by Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): a Behavioral and Psychophysiological Investigation of Peer Influence

Adolescents with ADHD demonstrate increased risk-taking behavior (RTB) like substance abuse and dangerous traffic conduct. RTB in adolescence is more likely under peer influence. The current investigation (1) tests the hypothesis that adolescents with ADHD are particularly susceptible to such influence and (2) tests whether groups differed in autonomic reactivity to peer influence. Adolescent boys between 12 and 19 years with (n = 81) and without (n = 99) ADHD performed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task twice. In the peer condition, a highly credible virtual peer manipulation that encouraged risk taking was added, in the solo condition this was absent. Autonomic reactivity was indexed by heart rate (HR), pre-ejection period (PEP) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). All adolescents engaged in more risk taking in the peer condition relative to solo condition. Autonomic differences between groups were only found on PEP: a stronger sympathetic response to peer influence was observed in typically developing adolescents relative to adolescents with ADHD. Increased physiological stress (as indexed by PEP) in the peer relative to the solo condition predicted peer-induced risk taking in all adolescents. We conclude that susceptibility to peer influence is not exaggerated in ADHD but rather reflects a general tendency of adolescents. As adolescents experiencing peer influence as stressful are most susceptible to peer influence, we suggest that increasing resistance to peer influence may be an important treatment aim for these adolescents specifically.

Viscoelasticity of reward and control systems in adolescent risk taking

Heightened risk-taking tendencies during adolescence have been hypothesized to be attributable to physiological differences of maturation in key brain regions. The socioemotional system (e.g., nucleus accumbens), which is instrumental in reward response, shows a relatively earlier development trajectory than the cognitive control system (e.g., medial prefrontal cortex), which regulates impulse response. This developmental imbalance between heightened reward seeking and immature cognitive control potentially makes adolescents more susceptible to engaging in risky activities. Here, we assess brain structure in the socioemotional and cognitive control systems through viscoelastic stiffness measured with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and volumetry, as well as risk-taking tendencies measured using two experimental tasks in 40 adolescents (mean age ​= ​13.4 years old). MRE measures of regional brain stiffness reflect brain health and development via myelin content and glial matrix makeup, and have been shown to be highly sensitive to cognitive processes as compared to measures of regional brain volume and diffusion weighted imaging metrics. We find here that the viscoelastic and volumetric differences between the nucleus accumbens and the prefrontal cortex are correlated with increased risk-taking behavior in adolescents. These differences in development between the two brain systems can be used as an indicator of those adolescents who are more prone to real world risky activities and a useful measure for characterizing response to intervention.