Adolescent risk taking, impulsivity, and brain development: Implications for prevention

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Romer ◽  
Atika Khurana
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Wales Patterson ◽  
Lilla Pivnick ◽  
Frank D Mann ◽  
Andrew D Grotzinger ◽  
Kathryn C Monahan ◽  
...  

Adolescents are more likely to take risks. Typically, research on adolescent risk-taking has focused on its negative health and societal consequences. However, some risk-taking behaviors might be positive, defined here as behavior that does not violate the rights of others and that might advance socially-valuable goals. Empirical work on positive risk-taking has been limited by measurement challenges. In this study, we elicited adolescents’ free responses (n = 75) about a time they took a risk. Based on thematic coding, we identified positive behaviors described as risks and selected items to form a self-report scale. The resulting positive risk-taking scale was quantitatively validated in a population-based sample of adolescent twins (n = 1249). Second, we evaluated associations between positive risk-taking, negative risk-taking, and potential personality and peer correlates using a genetically informed design. Sensation seeking predicted negative and positive risk-taking equally strongly, whereas extraversion differentiated forms of risk-taking. Additive genetic influences on personality accounted for the total heritability in positive risk-taking. Indirect pathways from personality through positive and negative peer environments were identified. These results provide promising evidence that personality factors of sensation seeking and extraversion can manifest as engagement in positive risks. Increased understanding of positive manifestations of adolescent risk-taking may yield targets for positive youth development strategies to bolster youth well-being.


Author(s):  
Nezal Azh ◽  
Reza Zeighami ◽  
Tahereh Ataei ◽  
Maryam Mafi

AbstractObjectivesRisk-taking reasons in adolescents are divided into four cognitive, emotional, socio-environmental, and family factors. Structure, composition, and size of family as well as parenting styles effect on the development of creative abilities, transmitting cultural and social values, and the amount of adolescent risk-taking. The present study aimed to evaluate the tendency toward high-risk behaviors based on ways of interacting with children in only-child families.MethodsThis research is a descriptive analytical study. The research population was only-child adolescents and one of their parents who referred to health centers in Qazvin city to receive healthcare. The sampling has been conducted in census method. The data collection tools were adolescents’ risk-taking questionnaires and Baumrind Parenting style Inventory which were completed by adolescents and one parent, respectively. The questionnaires were completed in health centers of Qazvin City, and the sampling was conducted since February to September 2018. The SPSS version 24 was used to analyze the data.ResultsOne hundred and seventeen adolescents aged between 13 and 19 years together with one of their parents participated in this study. The majority of the mothers were housewives (62.9%) and fathers were either employees or self-employed (76.9%). Authoritative parenting style was the most dominant parenting style amongst parents (93%), and the majority of the samples (78%) had the least amount of risk. The average risk-taking score of adolescents was 23.3 ± 61.29 and the highest risk-taking behavior was dangerous driving (12.83). Risk-taking amount was negatively correlated with authoritative parenting style (r = −0.20, p = 0.28), while having direct and meaningful correlation with the permissive style (r = 0.20, p = 0.02).ConclusionThe authoritative parenting style in only-child families has been a dominant trend that justifies the intimate parent-children relationships and decreases the risk-taking amount of adolescents. Therefore, parents are suggested to focus on increasing their relationship with their adolescents, rather than reducing their family size.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana da Silva Pinho ◽  
Lucas Molleman ◽  
Barbara R. Braams ◽  
Wouter van den Bos

AbstractPersonal 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.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 1998-2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hatice Odacı ◽  
Çiğdem Berber Çelik

The purpose of this research was to determine whether or not traumatic childhood experiences in childhood predict a disposition to risk-taking and aggression among university students. The participants consisted of 851 students: 477 (56.1%) females and 374 (43.9%) males attending various faculties at the Karadeniz Technical University in Turkey. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Adolescent Risk-Taking Scale, Aggression Questionnaire, and Personal Information Form were used for data collection. The analysis results revealed a positive correlation between traumatic experiences (physical, sexual, emotional maltreatment, and emotional neglect) and risk-taking and aggression. Physical and sexual abuse and gender are significant predictors of risk-taking. Physical abuse and gender are some of the predictors of aggression. Another finding from the study is that physical and emotional abuse and emotional neglect vary by gender. This study concludes that exposure to traumatic experiences in childhood prepares the foundation for negative behaviors in adulthood.


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