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

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Date
2015-10
Authors
de Jager, Marizé
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University of the Free State
Abstract
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.
Afrikaans: Adolessensie is die ontwikkelingstadium waartydens individue tot ʼn groter mate as in enige ander lewenstydperk roekelose, sensasiesoekende en risikonemende gedrag onderneem. Risikonemende gedrag is algemeen onder Suid-Afrikaanse adolessente (Reddy et al., 2010). Navorsingstudies fokus dikwels op individuele faktore of persoonlikheidsvatbaarhede wat tot risikonemende gedrag bydra, maar ondersoek selde sosiale en gemeenskapsfaktore wat tot risikonemende gedrag by adolessente bydra. Die doel van die huidige studie was daarom om die bydraende rol van verskeie stelsels (ouers, portuurgroep, skool en gemeenskap tot risikonemende gedrag (geweld, substansiegebruik en riskante seksuele gedrag) by middel- en laat-adolessente mans en vrouens te ondersoek. ʼn Ekologiese stelsel-perspektief is gevolg. ʼn Nie-eksperimentele, kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gebruik. Deur middel van ʼn nie-waarskynlikheid-, gerieflikheidsteekproef is ʼn steekproef van 194 deelnemers uit vier Engelsmediumskole in die Mangaung-area van Sentraal Suid-Afrika geselekteer. ʼn Biografiese vraelys, die aangepaste en verkorte weergawevan die Youth Risk Behaviour Survey (YRBS), en ʼn vraelys saamgestel deur Amoateng en Kalule-Sabiti (2013) is gebruik om data te versamel. Data is deur middel van meerveranderlike variansie-ontledings (“multivariate analyses of variance” – MANOVA) en standaard meervoudige regressie-ontleding ontleed. Die resultate uit die studie verkry, dui daarop dat mans meer tot risikonemende gedrag geneig is as wat vrouens is. Verder het die studie getoon dat vier kontekstuele faktore beduidend tot die variansie in risikonemende gedrag bydra. Veelseggende negatiewe korrelasies tussen risikonemende gedrag en ouerlike bepaling van perke en tussen risikonemende gedrag en ouerlike monitering is gevind. Laastens is veelseggende positiewe korrelasies tussen risikoneming en ouerlike beheer en tussen risikonemende gedrag en portuurgroep-konneksie gevind.
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Keywords
South African adolescents, Risk-taking behaviour, Violence, Substance use, Risky sexual behaviour, Parental influence, Peer influence, School influence, Community influence, Dissertation (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2015
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