The Effect of Identity on Risk-Taking in Middle Adolescence: The Mediating Role of Positive Youth Development

Abstract

Researches on factors that can reduce risk-taking in adolescence have been widely studied. Ones of these factors are identity and Positive Youth Development (PYD) which are the key factors to successfully accomplish developmental tasks in adolescence. However, there has been little research on whether Positive Youth Development can serve as the mediator between identity and risk-taking. Therefore, based on Problem Behavior Theory (Jessor & Jessor, 1977) and Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development (1968), this study aims to examine a) the direct effect of identity and PYD on risk-taking and b) the indirect effect of identity on risk-taking through Positive Youth Development. Self-report questionnaires were used to collect data from 405 high school students in the public schools in Bangkok, Thailand. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was selected to analyze the tested model. The results reveal that identity and PYD have negative association with risk-taking. Moreover, there is the mediation effect between identity and risk-taking via PYD. The overall goodness-of-fit statistical analysis represents that the tested model of risk-taking is a good fit to the empirical data. Implications for decreasing risk-taking in middle adolescence along with limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.



Author Information
Pimnapassara Hongjoy, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand
Sittipong Wattananonsakul, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand

Paper Information
Conference: ACP2017
Stream: General Psychology

This paper is part of the ACP2017 Conference Proceedings (View)
Full Paper
View / Download the full paper in a new tab/window


Comments & Feedback

Place a comment using your LinkedIn profile

Comments

Share on activity feed

Powered by WP LinkPress

Share this Research

Posted by James Alexander Gordon