Impulsivity and Risk-Taking Behavior in School-Going Adolescents

Introduction Impulsivity (or impulsiveness) and risk-taking behavior are significant concerns as the adolescent population is at a higher risk of injuries and violence, unhealthy sexual behaviors, and drug- and alcohol-related problems. The early identification of these traits in adolescents can pro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2023-06, Vol.15 (6), p.e40728-e40728
Main Authors: Soni, Ujjwal, Sharma, Rahul, Sharma, Marisha, Khurana, Ekta, Chopra, Jayesh, Julka, Dhawani, Gaur, Nikhil
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior
Child & adolescent psychiatry
Child development
Computer & video games
Data collection
Families & family life
Impulsivity
Pediatrics
Personality disorders
Psychiatry
Public Health
Questionnaires
Risk assessment
Schools
Students
Teenagers
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Summary:Introduction Impulsivity (or impulsiveness) and risk-taking behavior are significant concerns as the adolescent population is at a higher risk of injuries and violence, unhealthy sexual behaviors, and drug- and alcohol-related problems. The early identification of these traits in adolescents can prove beneficial through timely interventions. This study was conducted to assess impulsive behavior and risk-taking behavior among school-going adolescents in New Delhi, India, and to study the association, if any, between the two. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among 571 students of classes 9th-10th in three randomly selected schools in a part of Delhi, India. Barratt Impulsiveness Scale - Brief (BIS-Brief) was used to evaluate impulsivity, and risk-taking behavior was assessed using the RT-18 tool. Results The majority (72.3%) of the 571 students were aged 14-15 years. Among the students, 56.0% were males. The impulsivity score obtained ranged from 8 to 30, with a mean score of 15.7 (SD ±4.1). The risk-taking score ranged from 2 to 18, with a mean score of 9.9 (SD ±2.9). Impulsivity was seen to be significantly higher among the female students (p=0.004). The risk-taking behavior was significantly higher among the students from government schools, among the females, and among those who used the internet more. There was a significant direct association between impulsivity and risk-taking behavior among the students (correlation coefficient 0.301, p
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.40728