Anxiety and depressive symptom levels among adolescents with risk taking behaviour

Background: In our country, risk taking behavior has increased among adolescents in recent years. Risky behaviours are defined as behaviors that affect an adolescent's health and wellness and daily life directly or indirectly. These behaviours can cause potential negative results. Bullying, smoking, using alcohol or drugs, early or unprotected sexual activity, skipping school, elopement, damaging friends and self destruction are the most frequent risky behaviors among adolescents. Through previous research, it has been shown that the moods of adolescents with risky behaviors differ from other adolescents. Thus it is thought that there may be an association between risky behavior and depression and anxiety.

Objective: This study investigated the differences between adolescents with risky behaviour and the ones with non-risky behaviour in terms of depressive and anxiety symptom levels.

Methods: The participants were from different regions and different socio-economic statuses. A total of 3483 students from forty-three schools (12 vocational high schools, 23 state schools and 6 private high schools ) and104 classes were included in this study. The multi-stage cluster sampling method was used for the selection of the sample. In the study, YSR 11-18 (Youth Self Report) and a questionnaire, which was developed by the researchers, were used. The research survey consisted of 238 items; The questions covered demographical information, parent and region features, problems about school life, risky behaviours, neglect and abuse, disease, trauma, and health.

Results: In this study, 45.5% of participants were female, 54.5% were male. According to the analysis of each risky behaviour, significant differences were found for depressive and anxiety symptom levels between groups. Adolescents who exhibit bullying, elopement, self destruction, commit crimes, and have damaging friends are more likely to show anxiety and depressive symptoms compared to non-risky behavior adolescents.(p=0.000). In addition, the level of depressive and anxiety symptoms of drug users were higher than the level of depressive and anxiety symptoms of non-users (depressive; p=0.000, anxiety; p=0.019). Adolescents who are carrying a weapon, using alcohol, working in a job and skipping school had a higher level of only depressive symptoms (p=0.0000). On the other hand, only the high level anxiety group had unprotected sexual activity (p=0.092).

Conclusions: A comparison of non-risky behavior adolescents to risky behavior adolescents showed significant differences in terms of anxiety and depressive symptom levels and these symptom levels changed according to the risky behaviour type.