Last partial update: July 2016 - Please read disclaimer before proceeding
Adolescent risk taking - An overview
"I’ve never understood why people consider youth a time of freedom and joy. It’s probably because they have forgotten their own."
Margaret Attwood (1939-)
Experiences, both good and bad, are integral in moulding our development. Significant risk-taking, an important part of this process, usually starts in earnest in adolescence and continues on throughout our adult lives. While by definition risk-taking means there is a possible ‘down-side’ to the experience, in adolescence this down-side risk is amplified because adolescents have little experience in risk-taking and it is thus not easy for them to choose wisely. They can not always sort out those risks worth taking that are likely to help their development into a more capable and self-confident adult from those that are likely to provide no such benefits.
Although most adolescents are still under the control of their parents, it is the time that parental influence is gradually being replaced by self-determination. This is a difficult adjustment for parents as they know they need to let go but still feel they are responsible for all that happens to their child. If something goes wrong the parent suffers doubly because their child is ‘injured’ in some way and they get to feel guilty about it as well! Thus parents restrict, usually quite appropriately, their adolescent’s behaviour. While setting limits is an important part of preventing inappropriate risk-taking and can act as a positive learning experience for the adolescent, the other outcome is the normal tension that develops between adolescents and parents.
In adolescence, as at other times in life, there are two types of risks. There are risks worth taking that help the development of personality and add opportunity to life. These are often referred to as challenges. Good examples of such constructive risk-taking include accepting the risk of possible failure, such as when taking on new activities or when performing a difficult task in front of one’s peers, and making important life choices, such as subject and career choices.
Other risks, however, have no overall benefit with regard to personality development and present the risk of harm to both the adolescent involved and those in his/her immediate peer group. These are the activities that all parents fear; illicit drug use, alcohol misuse, dangerous driving practices, unsafe sexual practices etc. Traditionally males have been significantly more likely to partake in these behaviours but females have been catching up in recent times. (See boxed section below.) Risk factors and protective factors for detrimental risk taking behaviours include the following.
Protective factors against unhealthy risk-taking behaviour in adolescents
- Attachment to important adults in their lives, with whom they have valuable, sincere and enduring relationships. In other words, they have at least one person in their lives who accepts them unconditionally, regardless of their faults. This is usually parents but may be another relative, friend, or person they come into contact with, such as a teacher or sporting coach. Such an association helps in building three important protective personality characteristics.
- Resilient character.
- High aspirations with adult support (usually learnt from the example set by important adults in their lives)
- Independence and competency (again usually learnt from example)
- Effective schooling where there is a sense of community and connectedness with teachers
- Good education about risky behaviours, including good sex education. (This needs to come from both school and parents.)
- Being occupied and supervised after school, especially doing healthy activities, such as sporting or musical activities. Adolescents who do no extracurricular activities are considerably more likely to partake in risky activities such as smoking and illicit drug use and much of this activity happens after school (between 3pm and 6pm) when they are often unsupervised.
- Maintaining good health, especially exercising
- Participating in service activities. Adolescents who are participate in voluntary work that help others, such as helping at child care centres and in nursing homes and hospitals or working to help maintain parks etc. Part of the reason that this helps is that it exposes young people to adults who care for their community and they often form helpful friendships with these people and adopt their less-risky behaviours / way of life.
- Having a part-time job
(Resource: Developing healthy kids in healthy communities: eight evidenced-based strategies for preventing high-risk behaviour. Article in Medical Journal of Australia by Hopkins, G.A. et al. MJA 2007; 186(10): S70-S73.) http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/186_10_210507/contents_210507_sup_fm.html )
Risk factors for adopting health-risk behaviour of adolescents include:
- Poverty
- Poor acaedemic performance
- Poor social skills
- Peer group role models for illicit drug use, alcohol abuse use and antisocial / deviant behaviour. This is a very important factor.
- Low self-esteem, a sense of hopelessness, anxiety / depression.
- A tendency to act impulsively
- A family history of mental and physical health problems
What risks do young women take with their health in Australia?While this list is somewhat alarming for parents, it needs to be stated that most young women do not participate in these behaviours on a regular basis. (Seventy per cent don't smoke or use illicit drugs; and most illicit drug use is occasional and occurs without harm and without addiction being an issue.) Increasing alcohol use is the most worrying problem. Smoking
Alcohol
Illicit drug use
Sexual activity
Diet and exercise
These problems tend to cluster in individuals and, not surprisingly, are often associated with emotional and mental health problems. Mental health problems, mainly depression and anxiety, are the major health problem in young women. Information sources – Facts sheets |
Preventing harmful risk-taking
If all adolescents need to take risks, albeit to differing degrees, how can parents, friends, teachers etc direct this need into constructive challenging alternatives? Here are some ideas.
Set a good example: Setting a good example is a great start. If you are a constructive risk-taker, your children have the opportunity to watch you and learn. If you are a person who drinks and drives, they will learn from that also. If you don’t take any risks at all, your children will have to learn risk-taking skills by themselves or from someone else. Ensuring that your children are brought up considering the moral implications of adult decisions will help them make the correct choices later on. Discuss with them the moral implications of the important decisions you make and let them be part of family decision making. It’s good practice.
Provide constructive risk-taking opportunities: Adults need to make sure that the adolescents they are responsible for have constructive risk-taking opportunities available to them. If they are not available, then there is a greater chance of detrimental alternatives being adopted. Try to find out what activities are available at their school. Encourage activities in primary school that can become a real challenge in adolescence. Adolescents are often reticent to act on suggestions, so it is not enough just to mention alternatives. Try introducing them on a family holiday or find out what activities their friends are doing and encourage those. Getting them involved in is as many activities as possible, especially sport and music, leaves less time and energy for less beneficial activities. If a chosen activity involves the risk of physical injury (e.g. some sports), adults can help by finding the safest environment in which their child can participate.
Being there: Just being around and knowing what is going on in your adolescent’s life is very important. You should know, as much as possible, where they are and who they are with. Try to keep a close eye on your adolescent’s peer group as it is often the source of detrimental risk taking activities. Encourage your children’s friends to visit your home as often as possible, offer to take them to activities, and keep in regular contact with their parents. When a problem has occurred because of an adolescent’s risk-taking, make sure you discuss the issues involved with them without being condescending and saying ‘I told you so’. It will help them learn from the experience. You can even talk about similar mistakes you made.
Setting limits: All adolescents need (and expect) limits to be set for them. How are they going to rebel if they have nothing to rebel against? To be effective, these limits need to be firm, fair, consistent and enforced. Many, such as home times from parties and restrictions for young drivers, are important safety issues.
Education: Education, both at home and at school, is important in preventing risk-taking. Parents need to ensure that their children gain appropriate information and understand this information. Sex education is a prime example. Be prepared to talk frankly with them about the consequences of their actions and never assume that a particular topic is not your concern because it will be covered in school.
Important adolescent risk taking issues covered in this web site
- Adolescent alcohol use – Adolescent alcohol use
- Illicit drug use – illicit substance abuse
- Smoking – Smoking related illness
- Motor vehicle accidents and teenagers - Teenage driving
- Preventing teenage pregnancy - a parent perspectiv - Preventing teenage pregnancy
- Teenagers going out - Minimising risk of harm / getting home safely - Teenagers going out
- Contraception for young people - Contraception for young people
Further information on parenting
The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network (includes The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.)
This hospital network's web site (https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au) is a great source of information on children’s health topics. It provides fact sheets about many child health issues that are free and downloadable and lists books on most child health topics that have been assessed by members of the medical staff at the hospital. These books are available for purchase from the Kids Health Bookshop at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (Phone 02 – 9845 3585) or they can be purchased via the ‘e-shop’ on the web site. Any profits go into supporting the work of the hospital.
Some suggested books on parenting children
Every parent. A positive approach to children’s behaviour by Matthew R Sanders, PhD.
More Secrets Of Happy Children by Steve Biddulph
Raising Kids- A parent’s survival guide by Charles Watson, Dr Susan Clarke and Linda Walton.
Bully Busting by Evelyn M. Field
Raising Boys by Steve Biddulph
Your Child's Self Esteem by Dorothy Corkhille Briggs
(All these books and many more appear in the ‘self esteem, behaviour and family life’ section of the books section in parents section of the Children’s Hospital at Westmead web site. https://kidshealth.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/bookshop-and-products) There is information about each book on the web site; just click over the title.) Better still, for parents able to visit the hospital, most of the books are available to view and there will be someone there to help with book selection.)
Some suggested books on parenting adolescents
What to do when your children turn into teenagers by Dr D. Bennett and Dr Leanne Rowe (This is a wonderful book that is unfortunately now out of print. Second hand copies may still be available.)
You can't make me by Dr D. Bennett and Dr Leanne Rowe
I just want you to be happy. Preventing and tackling teenage depression. by Professors Leanne Rowe, David Bennett and Bruce Tonge. Published by Allen and Uwin, 2009.
Puberty boy by Geoff Price
Puberty girl by Shushann Movsessian
The puberty book by Wendy Darvill and Kelsey Powell
Teen esteem by Dr P. Palmer and M. Froehner
Most children suffer anxieties at some time and another book (not on the above list) that is very useful for parents is - Helping your anxious child. A step by step guide for parents. by Rapee, R., Spence, S., Cobham, V. and Wignall, A.New Harbinger, 2000.
The Resilience Doughnut parenting program to help build child resilience
The Resilience Doughnut Program is outlined in a book published by Lyn Worsley, which can be purchased through her website: www.lynworsley.com.au (The cost is about $30)
Triple P Positive Parenting Program
www.triplep.net.
Child and Youth Health
Parenting and child and youth health; links to research updates; telephone helps lines for parents and youth.
www.cyh.com
Further information on sexual health
Sexual health information
www.shinesa.org.au
Family Planning Australia
www.fpahealth.org.au
The Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention web site
(A good USA site that provides information and skills for both adolescents and for educators about preventing unwanted teenage pregnancies.)
www.etr.org/recapp
Further reading regarding teenager sexual health
Sexwise by Dr Janet Hall. Published by Random House Australia.
(What every young person and parent should know about sex. Dr Hall empowers her readers by telling them the facts - and giving it to them straight.)
Unzipped by Bronwyn Donaghy. Published by Harper Collins
(A book that deals frankly and sympathetically with the crucial role that love and emotions play in every aspect of adolescent sexuality.)
Further titles regarding puberty and adolescent sexuality are available on the Children’s Hospital at Westmead web site. www.chw.edu.au/parents/books. (Both the above books are mentioned on this web site and are recommended by staff at this hospital.)