Predictors of Adolescents' Positive and Negative Risk-Taking: Similarities and Differences.

Abstract

Introduction: The similarities and differences between positive (PRT) and negative risk-taking (NRT) remain unclear. The present study explored the issue in terms of sensation-seeking, impulse control, and peer factors.

Methods: Adolescents from Liaoning, China, participated in a 2-year longitudinal study with two follow-up surveys. The initial sample in June 2022 included 339 adolescents aged 12-15 years (51% female, Mage = 13.38). The follow-up in June 2023 comprised 324 adolescents aged 13-16 years (52% female, Mage = 14.38) from the original sample.

Results: (1) Sensation seeking was positively related to PRT and NRT, motor control was negatively related to both, whereas attentional control and planning were positively related to PRT and negatively related to NRT. Moreover, Planning (T1) positively predicted PRT (T2). Additionally, changes in sensation seeking positively predicted PRT and NRT (T2), and changes in impulse control negatively predicted both. (2) Only sensation seeking and motor control interaction negatively predicted NRT but positively predicted PRT. (3) Negative peer norms were positively related to PRT and NRT, and positive peer norms was negatively related to NRT. The positive predictive effect of peer norms (T1) disappeared.

Conclusions: PRT and NRT were both associated with higher sensation seeking, lower motor control and higher negative peer norm. Unlike negative risk taking, positive risk taking was associated with higher planning, the interaction between sensation-seeking and motor control and friendship quality. Our findings provide new information on the nuances of impulse control and positive and negative risk-taking, and have implications for understanding and promoting positive adolescent risk-taking, and PRT is an adaptive and strategic behavior compared to negative risk-taking, which can be facilitated by an increase in the planning and quality of friendship.