scholarly journals Towards the Development of an Evolutionarily Valid Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale

2007 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 147470490700500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Kruger ◽  
X.T. Wang ◽  
Andreas Wilke
Keyword(s):  
Risk Taking ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Human Risk ◽  
Group Competition ◽  
Measures Of Risk ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors

From an evolutionary perspective, human risk-taking behaviors should be viewed in relation to evolutionarily recurrent survival and reproductive problems. In response to recent calls for domain-specific measures of risk-taking, we emphasize the need of evolutionarily valid domains. We report on two studies designed to validate a scale of risky behaviors in domains selected from research and theory in evolutionary psychology and biology, corresponding to reoccurring challenges in the ancestral environment. Behaviors were framed in situations which people would have some chance of encountering in modern times. We identify five domains of risk-taking: between-group competition, within-group competition, mating and resource allocation for mate attraction, environmental risks, and fertility risks.

Longitudinal Increases in Parent–Child Relationship Quality and Sensation Seeking Interact to Increase Risk-Taking During the College Transition

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
João F. Guassi Moreira ◽  
Eva H. Telzer
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
College Transition ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Parent Child Relationship ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Child Relationship ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors ◽  
Parent Child

We tested two competing predictions of whether changes in parent–child relationship quality buffer or exacerbate the association between sensation-seeking and risk-taking behaviors as individuals gain more independence during the high school–college transition. In the current longitudinal study, 287 participants completed self-report measures of sensation seeking, risk-taking, and parent–child relationship quality with their parents prior to starting college and again during their first semester. Overall, students displayed increases in risky behaviors, which were predicted by sensation seeking. Changes in relationship quality moderated the association between sensation seeking and risk-taking, such that sensation seeking predicted higher risk-taking behaviors during the first semester of college, but only for those who reported increases in relationship quality across the college transition. These results suggest that increased relationship quality may have an inadvertent spillover effect by interacting with sensation seeking to increase risky behaviors.

Implementation of a Brief Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Skills Group in High Schools for At-Risk Youth: Going 4 Goals Protocol (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamika Zapolski ◽  
MacKenzie Whitener ◽  
Shirin Khazvand ◽  
Queenisha Crichlow ◽  
Rebecca Revilla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Control Group ◽  
School Students ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Skills Group ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors

BACKGROUND Adolescence is a developmental period marked by engaging in risk-taking behaviors, with higher risk among youth who are impulsive or emotionally dysregulated. Thus, interventions that teach skills to reduce the risk for negative outcomes as a consequence of dysregulation are needed. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs have been developed to address both adolescent emotion dysregulation and risk-taking behaviors. However, current programs have mostly been implemented among younger youth and have rarely been empirically evaluated for their effectiveness among high school students. OBJECTIVE The primary outcomes of the study are to test whether participating in the skills group intervention produces significant increases in the core DBT-A skills of mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness while also producing significant decreases in substance use and risky behaviors. These primary outcomes are based on changes in participant scores between baseline and post-intervention, as well as follow-ups at 1, 3, and 6 months in comparison to a control group of youth who are participating in the school’s health curriculum at the same time points. A secondary objective of this study is to also examine the acceptability, facilitators and barriers of the intervention through qualitative interviews with intervention participants and school staff. The current paper describes the protocol of the 9 session school-based adaptation of the DBT-A intervention and discussion of the strengths and limitations of the study, as well as future directions. METHODS N/A RESULTS N/A CONCLUSIONS N/A

Risk-Taking Behaviors and Subgrouping of College Students

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 475-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asghar Mohammadpoorasl ◽  
Abbas Abbasi Ghahramanloo ◽  
Hamid Allahverdipour
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Parental Support ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Familial Support ◽  
Risk Takers ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors

Risk-taking behaviors have negative consequences on adolescent and young adult’s health. The aim of this study was to identify the subgroups of college students on the basis of risk-taking behaviors and to assess the role of demographic characteristics, religious beliefs, and parental support on membership of specific subgroup. The cross-sectional study took place in Tabriz (northwest of Iran) in April and May of 2011. The randomly selected sample consisted of 1,837 college students. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Latent class analysis was performed to achieve the study’s objectives. Four latent classes were identified: (a) low risk, (b) cigarette and hookah smoker, (c) sexual and drinking risk-takers (for males)/sexual risk takers (for females), and (d) high risk. Notably, 13.3% of the males and 4.3% of the females were in the high-risk class. The results identified evidence of protective influence of familial support and religiosity on risky behaviors. A fair number of college students, males in particular, were identified as high risk-takers. Design and implementation of preventive interventions for this segment of the population are necessary. Higher level of familial support and religiosity may serve as preventive factors in risk-taking behaviors.

ADHD-associated risk-taking: The role of benefit and risk perceptions

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S533-S533
Author(s):  
Y. Pollak ◽  
H. Aloni ◽  
R. Shoham
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Adhd Symptoms ◽  
Benefit Perception ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors ◽  
Benefit And Risk

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with increased engagement in risk-taking behaviors. The present study aimed to further our knowledge regarding the extent and the reasons for the association between ADHD symptoms and risk-taking, using a theory-driven behavioral economy theory. The Domain Specific Risk-Taking scale was used, on which 244 adults rated the likelihood of engagement in a range of risky behaviors, across five real life domains, as well as the magnitude of perceived benefit and risk they ascribed to these behaviors. Level of ADHD symptoms was positively correlated with engagement in risky behaviors and benefit perception, but not with risk perception. Mediation analysis confirmed that benefit perception, but not risk perception, mediated the association between ADHD symptoms and engagement in risk-taking behaviors (Fig. 1). These findings emphasize the role of benefit perception in facilitating risk-taking by people with ADHD symptoms.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Smoking and other Risky Behaviors

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 645-661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joni Hersch ◽  
W. Kip Viscusi
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Smoking Behavior ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Preventive Health ◽  
Objective Measures ◽  
Monetary Value ◽  
Unit Risk ◽  
Measures Of Risk ◽  
Job Injury

To better understand the causes of smoking behavior, this paper examines the differences in risk-taking behavior by smokers in other domains. Smokers are less likely to perform preventive health activities such as seatbelt use, flossing, and checking their blood pressure. They choose riskier jobs, are more likely to be injured on their jobs controlling for objective measures of risk, are more likely to have an accident at home, and are more likely to have an accident overall. These choices do not stem from any greater economic payoff to smokers taking risks. Indeed, smokers are willing to work at hazardous jobs for less pay per unit risk than nonsmokers. On average, smokers place a monetary value on the risk of job injury that is roughly half that of nonsmokers. The greater risk taking of smokers reflects a broad pattern of behavior and is not restricted to smoking decisions.

Risk-Taking Behaviors in Huntington’s Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-369
Author(s):  
Katherine E. McDonell ◽  
Abagail E. Ciriegio ◽  
Anna C. Pfalzer ◽  
Lisa Hale ◽  
Shuhei Shiino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Huntington's Disease ◽  
Huntington’S Disease ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Compulsive Behaviors ◽  
Male Patients ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors

Background: Risky behaviors are common in Huntington’s disease (HD) and can lead to significant adverse consequences. However, the prevalence and scope of these symptoms have not been studied systematically, and no empirically validated measures are available to screen for them. Objective: To test a novel screening tool designed to assess risk-taking behaviors in HD. Methods: We administered the Risk Behavior Questionnaire (RBQ-HD) to HD patients and caregivers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center between 2018-2019. Patients completed the questionnaire based on self-report; caregivers provided collateral reports. Clinical and demographic information were obtained from the electronic medical record. Results: 60 patients and 60 caregivers completed the RBQ-HD. 80% of patients (n = 48) and 91.7% of caregivers (n = 60) reported at least one risky behavior. Adverse social behaviors, impulsive/compulsive behaviors, and reckless driving were the most common behavioral domains reported. Male patients were more likely to report risky behaviors than females (92.3% vs. 70.6%, p = 0.04). The number of risky behaviors reported by patients and caregivers was negatively correlated with patient age (r = –0.32, p = 0.01; r = –0.47, p = 0.0001, respectively). Patient and caregiver reports were highly correlated in matched pairs (n = 30; r = 0.63, p = 0.0002). Conclusion: These findings emphasize that risky behaviors are highly prevalent in HD and can be effectively identified through the use of a novel screening measure. We hypothesize that early pathological involvement of frontostriatal and mesolimbic networks may be important factors in the development of these behaviors.

The top six risky behaviors among Iranian university students: a national survey

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 788-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jalal Poorolajal ◽  
Younes Mohammadi ◽  
Ali Reza Soltanian ◽  
Jamal Ahmadpoor
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
University Students ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Internet Addiction ◽  
General Health ◽  
Risky Behavior ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Unprotected Sex ◽  
The Past ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors

Abstract Background Multiple risk-taking behaviors are associated with increased risk of poor educational attainment, morbidity and premature mortality. This study involved a large representative sample of Iranian university students addressing multiple risk behaviors and associated factors. Methods This cross-sectional study included 4261 participants, involving 13 medical universities throughout the country in 2017. The following six risky behaviors were addressed: (a) smoking cigarettes during the past month, (b) using some kinds of illicit drugs during the past month, (c) drinking alcohol during the past month, (d) engaging unprotected sex during the past year, (e) having suicidal ideation during the past month or attempting suicide in the past year, (f) and Internet addiction. The 20-item internet addiction test and the 28-item general health questionnaire were used. Results Almost 37.3% of the participants engaged in at least one out of six risky behaviors. The prevalence of Internet addiction was 24.5%, cigarette smoking 13.5%, alcohol use 7.8%, illicit drug abuse 4.9%, unprotected sex 7.8%, suicidal ideation 7.4%, attempting suicide 1.7% and general health problems 38.9%. Conclusion A majority of the Iranian university students studied engaged in at least one risky behavior. Engaging in one risky behavior increases the risk of engaging in other risk-taking behaviors.

Exploring Different Types of Superstitious Beliefs in Risk-Taking Behaviors

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sydney Chinchanachokchai ◽  
Theeranuch Pusaksrikit ◽  
Siwarit Pongsakornrungsilp
Keyword(s):  
Risk Taking ◽  
Financial Risk ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors ◽  
Superstitious Beliefs

Superstitions are common phenomena in human society, especially in Asian cultures. Superstitious beliefs can have a negative impact on the social well-being of people in society because they are highly associated with financial risk-taking and gambling behaviors. This study looks at the effects of different types of superstitious belief (proactive vs. passive) on consumers’ risk-taking behaviors. Categorized based on the characteristics associated with an illusion of control in a situation, proactive and passive superstitious beliefs were found to show differences in risk-taking behaviors. The results demonstrate that passive superstitious beliefs increase the likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors when a superstitious object is introduced. The research suggests social marketing and public policy implications.

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