The factors affecting risk-taking behaviour among middle and late adolescents: an ecological systems perspective

[摘要] English: Adolescence is the developmental stage during which individuals engage in reckless, thrill-seeking, and risk-taking behaviour to a greater extent than during any other life period. Risk-taking behaviour is common among South African adolescents (Reddy et al., 2010). Research studies often focus on individual factors or personality predispositions that contribute to risk-taking behaviour, but rarely simultaneously examine social and community factors that contribute to risk-taking behaviour in adolescents. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the role of various systems (parents, peer group, school, and community) in contributing to risk-taking behaviour (violence, substance use, and risky sexual behaviour) in middle and late adolescent males and females. An ecological systems perspective was followed.A non-experimental quantitative research approach was used. By means of non-probability, convenience sampling, a sample of 194 participants was selected from four English-medium high schools in the Mangaung area of central South Africa. A biographic questionnaire, the adapted and shortened version of the Youth Risk Behaviour Survey (YRBS), and a questionnaire compiled by Amoateng and Kalule-Sabiti (2013) were used to collect data. Data were analysed by means of multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) and standard multiple regression analysis.The results obtained from this study indicated that males are more prone to risk-taking behaviour than females are. Furthermore, the study indicates that four contextual factors significantly contribute to the variance in risk-taking behaviour. Significant negative correlations were found between risk-taking behaviour and parental limit-setting and between risk-taking behaviour and parental monitoring. Finally, significant positive correlations were found between risk-taking and parental control and between risk-taking behaviour and peer connection.

[发布机构] University of the Free State