Risk behavior in a community sample of children and adolescents

Objectives: First, to investigate whether there is covariation between risk behaviors, including suicidality, in a community probability sample of chi ldren and adolescents; and second, to investigate whether risk behavior is associated with selected potential correlates. Method: A sample of 9- to 17 -year-old youths (N = 1,285) and their caretakers were interviewed in the M ethods for the Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders (MECA) Study. The risk behaviors were marijuana smoking, alcohol use, intercourse , fighting, cigarette smoking, and suicidal ideation/attempts. Relationship s between the risk behaviors were described using odds ratios. Linear regre ssion analyses of an index of risk behavior on the selected potential corre lates of risk behavior were conducted. Results: There were significant rela tionships between all pairs of risk behaviors. The score on the index of ri sk behavior was associated with stressors, lack of resources, family psychi atric disorder, psychopathology, and functional impairment. Conclusions: Cl inicians should be alerted to the possibility of risk behaviors, especially in children and adolescents engaging in other risk behaviors and those wit h inadequate resources, stressors, functional impairment, or psychopatholog y.