Jumping off a cliff without a parachute!

Risk taking Behaviors and How to Avoid Them

Victoria Akiwumi

Walden University

Who do you hang out with?

Peer groups can really impact your life positively and negatively.

Let’s take a look at what positive peer groups are composed of:

They give you information that is not connected to your family. They help you feel good about your abilities.They help you to understand your behavior and activities as it relates to other young people.

Peer groups can be great sources of strength and comfort.They usually consist of young people your own age.

Positive Peer Groups

Peer group affiliations can lead to negative behavior:

Your peer group may reject or neglect you.

Rejection and neglect by peers may lead to mental health and criminal justice issues.

Peers who encourage you to be delinquent and undermine your parents are negative peer influences.

Negative Peer Groups

There are many types

of young people:

Which type are you?

Do you feel popular?

Do you feel average?

Do you feel neglected?

Do you feel rejected?

Do you feel like there is

always a some conflict

involving you going

on?

Types of young people

Do you see your type?

Whatever you think your place is amongst your peers, there are ways to manage all of your emotions!!

If you felt that you were popular, you probably had a chance to develop communication skills.

If you felt you were average, you probably your share of positive and negative feedback.

If you felt neglected, you might be shy and have a hard time making friends with others.

If you feel rejected, you might need help with social skills and attracting positive feedback from your peers.

Bullying can be stopped!!

Older students can serve as mentors and join together with other bullied young people for strength.

There are many ways to build friendships and better peer relations.

Students who know bullying is wrong and students who are not being bullied can help to make a difference.

When bullying is not dealt with it can also lead the victim into high risk behaviors like suicide, self-injury, violence, substance abuse, fighting and risky sexual behaviors.

What is the definition of risk-taking behaviors?

Risk taking behavior can change your life, your development and your well-being!

Important parts of adolescent development can be stopped or slowed down because of risk taking behavior.

Definition of Risk-Taking Behavior

What are the different types of risk taking behaviors?

Driving a car without a seatbelt is done by 30% of youth throughout America.

Driving a car while drinking alcohol, which is done by 10% of adolescents nationwide.

Fighting and aggression is another form of self-injurious behavior. Physical fighting is reported by 36% of adolescents in America.

Suicide is a growing risk taking behavior. One in every five youths report that they have considered suicide.

Substance abuse is a high risk behavior that can have long term damage.

The long term damage can include brain damage and damage to major organs in the body

Risky sexual behavior can result in STD’s, and socioemotional risks.

Different Types of Risk Taking Behavior

How do your peers influence you to engage in risky behaviors or stop you from doing so ?

Positive Influences:

Peers can provide the six functions of friendship. These are companionship, physical support, stimulation, ego support, social comparison, and intimacy/affection. This type of support is so important from your peer group.

Negative Influences:

Negative peers take can take you down the road to high-risk behaviors. They can learn to participate in negative behaviors, turn you against your parents and introduce you behavior that is negative.

Learning

The Role of

Peer Influence:

Positive and

Negative

What are the ways that your peers can influence you and how do You lessen bad influences and enhance good influences?

Peers can be a huge influence at every point in your life. Great peers are helpful and provide guidance at different stages of your journey!

Look for high quality peers who are on the right road in their own lives!

Spend time in school clubs, organizations and events that these positive students spend their time in.

Stay positive and focused in your own life!

When negative people young people want you to join them in negative behavior pull on that inner pride that will allow you to say no.

If they are forcing you to join them, let your parent/caregiver or an administrator know!

Parents, teachers and administrators or here to help!!

Look for them and find people you can talk to!!

They are here for you and you can be all you want to be!

Thanks for listening!!

References

Gardner, M., & Steinberg, L. (1993). Peer influence on risk-taking, risk preference, and

risky decision making in adolescence and childhood: An experimental study.

Developmental Psychology, 41(4), 625-635.

Guzman, M.R., Bosch, K.R. (2007). High-risk behaviors among youth. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publication/d=786

Santrock, J.W. (2009). A topical approach to life-span development (custom ed.). New

York: McGraw-Hill.

Thorlindsson, T., & Bernburg, J.G. (2006). Peer groups and substance use: Examining

the direct and interactive effect of leisure activity. Adolescence,41(162), 321-339.

Wood, M.D., Read, J.P., Mitchell, R.E., & Brand, N.H. (2004). Do parents still matter?

Parent and peer influences on alcohol involvement among recent high school

graduates. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors,18(1), 19-30.