Attachment, history of corporal punishment, and impulsivity as predictors of risk-taking behaviors in college students

Abstract

Risk-taking behaviors (RTBs) can cause (1) psychological, social, health, and economic problems; (2) physical injury; (3) legal entanglements; and (4) death. Attachment insecurity, corporal punishment, and impulsivity are risk factors for engaging in RTB. The present study is the first to examine all three of these predictors and their interactions for a broad spectrum of RTBs (i.e. academic risk, risky long-term health behaviors (RLTHBs), reckless driving, drug use, drinking, antisocial behavior, and risky sex). Participants were 101 college students who completed a narrative storytelling and self-report attachment assessment, a behavioral assessment of impulsivity, and a battery of RTB self-report questionnaires. Analyses revealed significant and meaningful effects in predicting academic risk, RLTHBs, drug use, antisocial behavior, and risky sex. The effects that emerged differed, but at their core was the effect of attachment on each of the aforementioned RTBs. Discussion focuses on limitations and future directions.