Sensation seeking as a predictor of positive and negative risk behaviour among adolescents

The present paper examines the relationship between sensation seeking and risk-taking behaviour among adolescents. Risk behaviour is defined as positive risk behaviour (activities like climbing, kayaking, rafting etc.) and negative risk behaviour (crime and socially unacceptable activities like shoplifting, drug use etc.) Perceived challenges and influences from school, parents, friends and social background are examined as contributing factors. Three hundred and sixty adolescents between 12 and 16 years of age from a school in Trondheim, Norway, answered the tests. The test consisted of My Opinion II, a Swedish version of the sensation seeking scale, which measures sensation seeking among adolescents around the age of 14. Three other questionnaires developed especially for this study were also used; one measuring risk behaviour, one measuring challenges from school, parents and friends, and one measuring social background. The results indicate a strong relationship between sensation seeking and both types of risk behaviour. Negative risk behaviour correlates negatively with challenges from both school and parents, and a similar relationship exists between negative risk behaviour and social background. It seems that few challenges and a poor social background could result in more negative risk behaviour.