Targeting adolescent risk-taking behaviors: the contributions of egocentrism and sensation-seeking

Tremendous resources are spent each year developing programs and messages t argeting adolescent risk behavior. Adolescents are often reasonably well ed ucated about methods for health promotion such as preventing HIV infection, yet they fail to act accordingly. One widely used individual difference va riable, sensation-seeking, has been incorporated in health message design t o some extent, but it fails to take development into account. Research on a dolescent egocentrism suggests adolescents experience personal fable which can lead to an exaggerated sense of invulnerability. The present study samp led adolescents and college students to examine relative contributions of e gocentrism and sensation-seeking to risk-taking behavior. Results indicate a latent factor labeled risk seeking (primarily indicated by disinhibition and risk-taking personality, and to a lesser degree by invulnerability, exp erience-seeking, boredom susceptibility, and thrill and adventure-seeking) indeed predicted a latent factor labeled delinquent behavior (primarily ind icated by alcohol consumption and delinquency, and to a lesser degree by dr ug use, drinking and driving, and risky driving). Other results indicate co nsistently high personal fable combined with high sensation-seeking explain ed muse risk taking behavior. implications and directions for future resear ch are discussed. (C) 2000 The Association for Professionals in Services fo r Adolescents.