Risk taking in young hispanic children

• Published in: Journal of pediatric health care 1999-05, Vol.13 (3), p.126-135
• Main Authors: Kennedy, Christine M, Rodriguez, Diana Amaya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitude to Health - ethnology; Child Behavior - ethnology; Child Behavior - psychology; Child, Preschool; Female; Hispanic Americans - psychology; Hispanic Americans - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Male; Nurse Practitioners; Nursing; Parents - psychology; Pediatric Nursing; Primary Health Care; Psychology, Child; Risk-Taking; San Francisco; Surveys and Questionnaires; Wounds and Injuries - ethnology; Wounds and Injuries - prevention & control; Wounds and Injuries - psychology
• ISSN: 0891-5245; 1532-656X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0891-5245(99)90074-3

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine risk taking and daring behavior in preschool-age Hispanic children. The study sought to describe aspects of children's personality, behavior, and culture that may inform us of their propensity to take risks that lead to injuries. Method: Forty-five children (4 to 5 years of age) and their parents, drawn from a primary care practice, participated in the study. Instruments completed by the families included the Acculturation Scale, Child Shyness Report, Injury Report and the Injury Behavior Checklist. Children were interviewed about risk taking and daring behavior using a projective technique (Child Sensation Seeking Profile). Results: These children, irrespective of gender and socioeconomic status, reported similar rates of daring and risk-taking behavior. Injury behaviors were not predicted by personality profiles of shyness or the child's self report of risk taking and daring behavior. Actual injuries increased with higher levels of acculturation, but children's injury behaviors reported by parents were low in comparison with other populations. Discrepancies were observed between parental perception and report of children's injury behavior and children's expressed preferences in some domains of daring and risky behavior. Discussion: Primary care providers must consider ethnic differences in rates and causes of injury when developing interventions and injury prevention programs. PNPs can use these findings to better meet the health promotion goals of Healthy Children 2000.