Watson-Brown, Natalie (2015) A Meta-analytic Study of Predictors of Risk-taking Attitude in Adolescents. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Risk-taking behaviours have extensive social costs and life-altering consequences. Risktaking attitude is the link between the influences and characteristics of adolescents who have the propensity to engage in risk-taking behaviours. A meta-analysis involving nearly 20,000 participants and 95 effect sizes examined risk and protective predictors of adolescent risktaking attitude. Participants were aged 10 to 19 years and studies were included where the majority percentage participants were White and from a non-clinical population. Studies were correlational research design and had to report Pearson's correlation coefficient (r), and measures were self-report. 56 predictors were identified and grouped into 5 factors, family, influence of others (peer influence and social norms), personality, social cognition, and aggression. The results show a significant effect for all factors ranging from r = .12, a small effect for family risk predictors, to r = .38, a moderate effect for aggression. The strength of the relationship between aggression and risk-taking attitude is supported by the role of puberty and hormones in adolescents. The findings highlight multiple factors predict risktaking attitude in adolescents. Multifaceted influences suggest multifaceted prevention programs are more likely to be effective in protecting adolescents with risk-taking attitude. Limitations of the current study included small sample sizes meta-analysed, bias resulting from time restrictions, and inconsistencies in the measures employed by primary studies.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Hong Eng Goh |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Sep 2025 23:59 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Sep 2025 23:59 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | meta-analysis, risk-taking, adolescents, sensation-seeking, impulsiveness |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52862 |
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