Social Activity Behaviours

Growing up is a time of trying new things and testing the boundaries. In fact, taking these types of risks occurs across all developmental stages from birth to senior years. Sometimes however, young people, consistent with their developmental capabilities, may be unable to gauge the potential for negative outcomes from things that might seem exciting or likely to improve the way their friends see them. Despite having plenty of information available about what is safe or unsafe, young people may still engage in a high level of risk-taking. Kids Helpline defines risk-taking as engaging in activities that have the potential to result in harm to oneself or others.

 

This Hot Topic aims to help parents and carers understand the issue of risk-taking in young people and to provide some guidance on how to help keep young people safe.

 

What types of risk taking do young people engage in?

 

There are a wide range of behaviours that young people may engage in that are considered to be risky. The main types of risk-taking behaviours are described below:

 

Drug and alcohol use

The use of tobacco, alcohol, pharmaceutical or illicit substances are one of the most common types of risk-taking behaviours that young people engage in. Despite alcohol and tobacco being legal from the age of 18 years, many young people begin their use before this age. Illicit drugs can contain harmful impurities and binge drinking has the potential to cause irreparable harm. Sustained drug and alcohol use also has the potential to damage the development of young people's minds and bodies. Australian data on drug and alcohol use amongst young people shows that the use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit substances begins for some around the age of 12 or 13. The number of young people starting to use these substances increases and reaches a peak sometime around the late teen years.

 

Unsafe sexual activity

Young people begin to explore intimate relationships during their teenage years and for some, this may involve engaging in different types of sexual activity with their partner. Sexual activity under the age of consent may result in legal problems for young people while unsafe sex at any age can result in unplanned pregnancy or the transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Research on Australian high school students has shown that about a third of year 10 students are sexually active and this proportion increases to more than half for year 12 students. Of concern is that amongst the same group of students, more than two-fifths of those who were sexually active reported inconsistent condom usage while around a quarter were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of their most recent sexual encounter.

 

Risky online activity

The Internet is used by almost all young people on a regular basis and provides the opportunity for access to a wide range of content and the ability to connect with others. While the Internet provides young people with many benefits, there are also numerous risks that young people may encounter. Some of these risks include being exposed to distressing images and content. The rise of social media means that a young person's reputation can be harmed if not managed properly. Young people may also encounter bullying and other forms of online harassment from either people they know or those they don't know, as well as being the victim of stalking or predatory behaviour. Young people also need to make sure they don't share too much of their personal information online so that it cannot be used against them.

 

Illegal or hazardous activities

Sometimes young people will want to rebel against authority as a way of creating their own identity by engaging in various types of illegal or dangerous activities. This can include vandalism, dangerous driving or doing things for the rush of excitement but which can have the potential to result in physical harm (playing in traffic or jumping from heights, etc). Young people between the ages of 15 to 19 are more likely to commit an offense than those from other age groups. Furthermore, young people aged 10 to 24 years account for almost half of all offenses committed in Australia.

 

Gang involvement

Young people may also have a desire to belong to a group and those who feel left out of the mainstream may end up joining a gang or just hanging out with an antisocial group of peers. At times, gangs engage in illegal activity and substance use, and there is a strong pressure for members to conform and go along with the group. Gang members may affiliate with people from similar geographical, cultural, ethnic or religious identities.

 

The implications of risk taking for young people

There are ranges of health, legal and social consequences that young people may encounter as a result of engaging in risky behaviour.
 

Health

Drug and alcohol use, whether illegal or legal, can cause a variety of health problems depending on the particular substance. Intoxicating substances can also lead to impaired judgement and coordination resulting in physical harm from accidents or becoming involved in violence. Unsafe sex can also result in the transmission of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS or unplanned pregnancies. Physical harm may also be the result of engaging in hazardous activities such as jumping from heights or playing in traffic or being involved in gang activity.

 

Legal

Young people can get a criminal conviction, fine or imprisonment for the possession of illicit substances. Harsher penalties apply if they are found guilty of supplying it to others. If young people under the age of 18 years transmit explicit images of themselves or others to someone (sexting), they may be charged with child pornography offences. Police are also implementing tougher penalties for person's involved with gangs.

 

Social

The reputation of young people may be damaged by things they do online. If they post something to their social media site or if naked images of themselves are circulated, this may harm their reputation and cause interpersonal difficulties with their friends, family or employer. If they are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, behaving in an antisocial way may also damage their reputation. Impairment to their reputation could restrict their future life opportunities such as employment.

 

Why do young people take risks?

Young people take risks for many reasons and while most young people may be exposed to issues such as peer pressure, boredom or rebellion, only some will choose to engage in risky behaviour

Peer pressure:Peer pressure can either be direct or indirect.

 

Sometimes a young person's friends will tell them to do something, or the young person may feel they should be doing something because the rest of the group is doing it.

Glamorisation of risk taking behaviours in the media:

 

 Movies and television display a range of risky behaviours in a way that makes the person seem admirable while still avoiding any negative consequences. Young people may believe they will be viewed in a similar way by their friends if they take similar actions.

 

Mental health/self-esteem issues: Being able to say no when others want you to do something you know is not good for you is important in avoiding risk. However, young people with low self-esteem are less likely to feel they have the right to assert themselves. Furthermore, young people with mental health issues may engage in risky behaviour such as substance use to alleviate feelings of distress they feel they can't change through safer alternatives.

 

Absent/inadequate role models: Parents and carers are vitally important for showing young people safer ways of being admired or feeling challenged. If parents and carers are engaging in risky behaviours themselves, young people may also engage in these behaviours.

 

Boredom and excitement: If young people are unable to find more suitable distractions and challenges, they may seek to relieve their under-stimulation through more risky outlets, particularly through drugs, alcohol or unsafe sexual activity.

 

Rebelling against authority: Growing up is a time when young people seek to define who they are and part of this includes going against the established order of things. Since community laws and the rules of their school and home restrict a number of risky behaviours, young people may do these things to feel independent.

It won't happen to me' optimism: Young people are naturally inclined to think that negative outcomes will only happen to others and not themselves. This leads them to a feeling of being indestructible and engaging in risky behaviours they would not otherwise do if they believed they could result in a negative outcome for them.

 

How can parents and carers help young people be safe?

Parents and carers have a number of options available to them to actively promote the avoidance of harmful risk-taking. Here are some ideas.

 

Have good communication - Keeping the lines of communication open is the best way to know what young people are doing when they're not at home. This way, you will know if what they do is likely to result in some type of harm.

Find safer alternatives - There are plenty of things young people can do to alleviate boredom and to give them a feeling of excitement. Engaging in physical activity such as joining a sports team is one option, as are more creative outlets such as performing arts.

 

Be a good role model - By avoiding the things that you don't want young people to do yourself. Young people often emulate the behaviours their parents/carers show, whether positive or negative.

Talk about peer pressure - Young people cannot avoid peer pressure in one form or another. The only thing they can do about it is to be able to handle it positively. From the perspective of parents/carers, this means teaching young people about the importance of asserting themselves and to be aware of the pressure to conform to what a group is doing. Check out the peer pressure hot topic for more information on this.

 

Provide reliable information - Young people need to be informed about the kinds of risks they may encounter. This means providing them with reliable and balanced information about topics such as sex, drugs, antisocial behaviour and online safety. Telling them to avoid things like drugs or sex won't keep them safe if they don't know why these things can be risky.

 

Have boundaries - House rules form part of an effective tool kit for parents/carers by reducing the opportunities for young people to engage in risky behaviours. Rules such as not bringing drugs into the house, not consuming alcohol under the age of 18 and not allowing dates to sleep over in the same room are some good examples.

 

Encourage them to succeed at school - Educational participation is linked to reducing risk-taking behaviours so by encouraging young people to participate in their school or educational program, in combination with pursuing safer alternatives for enjoying themselves, this will reduce the chances of them making risky choices.

Get support when needed - Sometimes young people want information about something that might be risky and other times they might have done something regrettable and want help avoiding a repeat of it in the future. If you are unable to resolve the issue yourself, encourage young people to contact a Kids Helpline counsellor for assistance.