Positive risk taking across the world

Abstract

Around the world, adolescence is characterized by increased risk taking. Much research has focused on negative risk taking, but there is growing recognition of positive risk taking, which can benefit adolescent development. So far, research on positive risk taking has been limited to Western samples. This study examined a self-report scale of positive risk taking with a sample of 962 adolescents (M_age = 18.51 years) from nine diverse countries: China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States of America. There were three aims: (1) Examine the measurement invariance of positive risk taking across countries, (2) examine whether positive and negative risk taking are distinct constructs, and (3) compare positive risk taking endorsement and perceptions of its safety and benefits across countries and sex. Results indicated that the 14-item positive risk-taking scale was invariant across all nine countries. Evidence also suggested that positive and negative risk taking were distinct constructs. Endorsement of positive risk taking varied significantly across all countries, with adolescents from China and Jordan exhibiting the lowest endorsement. Although positive risk taking was generally perceived as safe and beneficial, adolescents from Asian countries perceived positive risk taking to be less safe and beneficial than their peers from other countries. Together, findings from this study offer evidence of a promising positive risk-taking measure for cross-national use. Future research directions for identifying cultural factors that can help explain cross-national differences in positive risk taking are discussed.