How to Measure Propensity to Take Risks in the Italian Context: The Italian Validation of the Risk Propensity Scale

Risk propensity is a multifaced construct that influences many aspects of life, such as decision making. In the present study, the psychometric characteristics of the Risk Propensity Scale (RPS) have been explored for the first time in an Italian sample. The RPS is a 7 item self-report questionnaire measuring people’s tendency to take risks. The English RPS has been translated following the forward–backwards translation method, and it was filled out by 199 participants. Since its dimensionality has never been explored before, its factor structure has been analysed with exploratory factor analysis that confirmed the one-factor structure of the questionnaire and the retention of all the items. The Italian version of the RPS has high internal consistency (Cronbach alphas .78), and almost all the items were positively and significantly correlated. The convergent and discriminant validity, analysed by considering the associations with decision-making styles and an implicit measure of risk propensity, were satisfactory. Overall, the Italian version of the RPS is a valid and quick questionnaire useful to measure propensity to take risks in the Italian context.

Investigation of the workplace boredom and job satisfaction to the ambulance per-sonnel of Crete, Greece

Background: Numerous of studies have been done to healthcare professionals about job satisfaction and workplace boredom, but very few to ambulance staff. The mental health and emotional well-being of ambulance staff appears to be affected by the emergency character of the work they provide.Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the degree of job satisfaction and workplace boredom to the ambulance staff of Crete.Material & Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. The ambulance personnel of Crete included in the study. The job satisfaction scale (23 items) and the Boredom Proneness Scale (28 items) were used for data collection. The statistical analysis was performed by the SPSS. V.22.0.Results: The studied sample consisted of 142 ambulance personnel. Most of them were male (81%), married (72.9%), and had attended secondary school (63.4%). The job satisfaction was 71.1±5.7 and was found to be negatively related to how often someone felt upset (r=-0.192, p=0.02), how often they felt frustrated (r=-0.196, p=0.019) and the frequency that one feels bored (r=-0.515, p<0.001). The score of the Boredom Propensity Scale was 113.4±18.4. Women had statistically significantly greater score in Boredom Propensity Scale than men (118.9±22.6 vs. 112.1±17.1, p=0.037). The overall workplace boredom syndrome was found to be positively related to the frequency the participants are engaged in risky behaviors (r=0.426, p<0.001), how often someone felt upset (r=0.393, p<0.001), how often they felt frustrated (r=0.333, p<0.0001) and the frequency that one feels bored (r=0.212, p=0.011).Conclusions: Job satisfaction of the sample is at a medium level, while the professional boredom at a fairly high level. The professional boredom is higher in women.

Personality Profile of Risk-Takers

Risk-taking is a long-standing area of inquiry among psychologists and economists. In this paper, we examine the personality profile of risk-takers in two independent samples. Specifically, we examined the association between the Big Five facets and risk-taking propensity across two measures: The Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale (DOSPERT) and the General Risk Propensity Scale (GRiPS). At the Big Five domain level, we found that extraversion and agreeableness were the primary predictors of risk-taking. However, facet-level analyses revealed that responsibility, a facet of conscientiousness, explained most of the total variance accounted for by the Big Five in both risk-taking measures. Based on our findings across two samples ( n = 764), we find that the personality profile of a risk-taker is extraverted, open to experiences, disagreeable, emotionally stable, and irresponsible. Implications for the risk measurement are discussed.

Personality Profile of Risk Takers: An Examination of the Big Five Facets

Risk taking is a long-standing area of inquiry among psychologists and economists. In this paper, we examine the personality profile of risk takers in two independent samples. Specifically, we examined the association between the Big Five facets and risk-taking propensity across two measures: The Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale (DOSPERT) and the General Risk Propensity Scale (GRiPS). At the Big Five domain level, we found that extraversion and agreeableness were the primary predictors of risk taking. However, facet-level analyses revealed that responsibility, a facet of conscientiousness, explained most of the total variance accounted for by the Big Five in both risk-taking measures. Based on our findings across two samples (n = 764), we find that the personality profile of a risk taker is extraverted, open to experiences, disagreeable, emotionally stable, and irresponsible. Implications for the risk measurement are discussed.

Why Risk It? Athletes' Return to Sport Decisions Following Concussion Injuries: A Pilot Study

Purpose: To explore the influence of education and other factors on an athlete&rsquo;s decision to return to sport post-concussion injury, and whether general risk-taking tendencies are related to return to sport post-concussion decisions in these athletes. Participants and Methods: A self-administered electronic survey was designed to examine their decision-making process when faced with scenario-based questions regarding returning to sport post-concussion injury. Students from the Health Sciences and Medicine Faculty at Bond University were invited to participate. Participants were allocated to a concussion education or non-education group prior to commencement of questionnaire via the random generator on Qualtrics software function. The risk propensity scale was used to assess the risk aversion of each participant. Results: Sixteen respondents were randomized evenly to education and non-education groups. Seven (43.8%) had previously received concussion education training prior to completing the questionnaire, with one (14%) choosing to return to sport in the scenario-based questions. The education group reported two (25%) respondents return to sport, while three (75%) respondents out of four returned to sport with no education or previous concussion training. Influential factors that impacted the decision whether to return to sport or not included: game importance, concussion severity and symptoms, and various internal and external factors. Finally, there was a divergence in results from the risk propensity scale when deciding to return to sport and general risk-taking propensities. Conclusion: This study identified several influential factors including game importance, concussion severity and symptoms which play a significant role in the return to sport decisions post-concussion injury.