A new study led by Jennifer Lansford of DUPRI and published in Prevention Science, looks at how parenting shapes teen risk-taking across cultures.
The project followed 988 adolescents and their parents in seven countries, Colombia, Italy, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States, from ages 10 to 18, collecting more than 6,800 data points. Researchers identified four main patterns of adolescent behavior:
-
Late Starters
-
Alcohol Experimenters
-
Mid-Adolescent Starters
-
Pervasive Risk Takers
The likelihood of teens falling into each group varied by country, reflecting local cultural norms. The study found that positive parenting lowered the chances of teens becoming Pervasive Risk Takers, while factors like high psychological control, strict monitoring, and excessive autonomy granting were linked to a higher risk of belonging to this group. The findings also suggest that some level of risk-taking during adolescence is normal, even when parenting is positive.
This work was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with pilot funding from DPRC.