Risk appraisal, risk-taking and sensation seeking in adolescents

Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to investigate, in a sample of Italian adolescents, the clustering of risk behaviours and risk appraiasal, and the relationship between risk-appraisal and risk taking behaviours. In addition the study is intended to ascertain the role eventually played by sensation seeking and risk appraisal on the expression of risky behaviour. Method: 251 adolescents were recruited; the battery used was composed by a structured questionnaire for the collection of personal and socio-demographic, a questionnaire to asses risk appraisal in connection to a series of behaviours as well as the frequency of manifestation of such behaviours during the last 6 months, and the Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scale Form V (Zuckerman, 1979). Results: Moderate to strong correlations were found among the ratings for different types of risk and, similarly, high correlations were found among risky behaviours. Risk appraisal is negatively correlated with risk-taking behaviour and seems to be its best predictor. SensationSeeking plays an important role too, with the desire to seek social stimulation in unhinibited social activities and the desire and search for unusual experiences which contribute to explain risk-taking behaviours. Conclusion: The finding from this study indicate that risk appraisal and risky behaviours are general tendency and that risk perception and some sensation seeking needs are potential risks factor for the occurance of risky behaviours.