Positive risk taking across the world

Around the world, adolescence is characterized by increased risk taking. Much research has focused on negative risk taking, but there is growing recognition of positive risk taking, which can benefit adolescent development. So far, research on positive risk taking has been limited to Western samples. This study examined a self-report scale of positive risk taking with a sample of 962 adolescents (M<sub>age</sub> = 18.51 years) from nine diverse countries: China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States of America. There were three aims: (1) Examine the measurement invariance of positive risk taking across countries, (2) examine whether positive and negative risk taking are distinct constructs, and (3) compare positive risk taking endorsement and perceptions of its safety and benefits across countries and sex. Results indicated that the 14-item positive risk-taking scale was invariant across all nine countries. Evidence also suggested that positive and negative risk taking were distinct constructs. Endorsement of positive risk taking varied significantly across all countries, with adolescents from China and Jordan exhibiting the lowest endorsement. Although positive risk taking was generally perceived as safe and beneficial, adolescents from Asian countries perceived positive risk taking to be less safe and beneficial than their peers from other countries. Together, findings from this study offer evidence of a promising positive risk-taking measure for cross-national use. Future research directions for identifying cultural factors that can help explain cross-national differences in positive risk taking are discussed.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Research on Adolescence
Published
2025-04-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.70021
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
6.35

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article

Positive risk taking across the world

Paul Oburu, Kirby D. Deater-Deckard, Emma Sorbring, Laurence Steinberg et al.
3 citations
Journal of Research on Adolescence
Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research
6.35
article

Positive risk taking across the world

Paul Oburu, Kirby D. Deater-Deckard, Emma Sorbring, Laurence Steinberg, Liliana María Uribe Tirado, Daranee Junla, Suha M. Al‐Hassan, Sevtap Gurdal, Lei Chang, Kenneth A. Dodge, Laura Di Giunta, Marc H. Bornstein, Qian Long, Natasha Duell, W. Andrew Rothenberg, Ann T. Skinner, Dario Bacchini, Saengduean Yotanyamaneewong, Liane Peña Alampay, Jennifer E. Lansford, Qin Liu, Concetta Pastorelli
article en
3 citations

Abstract

Around the world, adolescence is characterized by increased risk taking. Much research has focused on negative risk taking, but there is growing recognition of positive risk taking, which can benefit adolescent development. So far, research on positive risk taking has been limited to Western samples. This study examined a self-report scale of positive risk taking with a sample of 962 adolescents (M<sub>age</sub> = 18.51 years) from nine diverse countries: China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States of America. There were three aims: (1) Examine the measurement invariance of positive risk taking across countries, (2) examine whether positive and negative risk taking are distinct constructs, and (3) compare positive risk taking endorsement and perceptions of its safety and benefits across countries and sex. Results indicated that the 14-item positive risk-taking scale was invariant across all nine countries. Evidence also suggested that positive and negative risk taking were distinct constructs. Endorsement of positive risk taking varied significantly across all countries, with adolescents from China and Jordan exhibiting the lowest endorsement. Although positive risk taking was generally perceived as safe and beneficial, adolescents from Asian countries perceived positive risk taking to be less safe and beneficial than their peers from other countries. Together, findings from this study offer evidence of a promising positive risk-taking measure for cross-national use. Future research directions for identifying cultural factors that can help explain cross-national differences in positive risk taking are discussed.

Journal of Research on AdolescenceVol. 35(2)
University West (SE), United Nations Children's Fund (US), Institute for Fiscal Studies (GB), California Polytechnic State University (US), Hashemite University (JO), Duke University (US), King Abdulaziz University (SA), Maseno University (KE), Ateneo de Manila University (PH), University of Macau (MO), University of Massachusetts Amherst (US), Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (AE), Center for Child and Family Health (US), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (US), Universidad de San Buenaventura, Bogota (CO), Duke Kunshan University (CN), Chiang Mai University (TH), University of Naples Federico II (IT), Temple University (US), Sapienza University of Rome (IT), Chongqing Medical University (CN)
Fogarty International Center, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research
6.35
DOISourceOpenAlex
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