Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Risk behaviour in adolescence: the relationship between developmental and health problems

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Current research is beginning to suggest that the descriptive knowledge base of adolescent risk behaviour is not conceptually based and is inadequate to sufficiently inform a comprehensive assessment of adolescent health and risk. The aim of this paper is to contribute towards the knowledge of adolescent risk behaviour. Building on a developmental perspective, links between health risk behaviour and the socialisation process in adolescence are discussed, and developmental functions and characteristics of risk behaviour are thereby investigated in light of a psychosocial stress model. An integrative model of adolescent problem handling is proposed that distinguishes three different forms of risk behaviour: externalisation, internalisation, and evasive risk behaviours. These are further elaborated on the basis of results from the latest World Health Organization Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Finally, conclusions for future research and health-promoting strategies are given.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Achenbach TM (1982) Developmental psychopathology, 2nd edn. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnett JJ (1999) Adolescent storm and stress, reconsidered. Am Psychol 54:317–326

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cairns RB, Cairns BD (1994) Lifelines and risks: pathways of youth in our time. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ciariano S (2004) Risk behaviour in adolescence: drug-use and sexual activity in Italy and The Netherlands. Stichting Kinderstudies Publisher, Groningen

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman J (1978) Current contradictions in adolescent theory. J Youth Adolesc 7:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craig WM, Harrel Y (2004) Bullying, physical fighting and victimisation. In: Currie C, Roberts C, Morgan A, Smith R, Settertobulte W, Samdal O, Barnekow Rasmussen V (eds) Young people's health in context—Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: international report from the 2001/02 survey. WHO-Europe, Copenhagen, pp 133–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Crijnen AAM, Achenbach TM, Verhulst FC (1997) Comparisons of problems reported by parents of children in 12 cultures: total problems, externalizing, and internalizing. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 36:1269–1277

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Currie C, Samdal O, Boyce W, Smith R (eds) (2001) Health behaviour in school-aged children: a WHO cross-national study (HBSC): research protocol for the 2001/2002 survey. Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  • Currie C, Roberts C, Morgan A, Smith R, Settertobulte W, Samdal O, Barnekow Rasmussen V (eds) (2004) Young people's health in context—Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: international report from the 2001/02 survey. WHO-Europe, Copenhagen

    Google Scholar 

  • Döpfner M, Plück J, Berner W, Fegert JM, Huss M, Lenz K, Schmeck K, Lehmkuhl U, Poustka F, Lehmkuhl G (1997) Psychische Auffälligkeiten und psychosoziale Kompetenzen von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland—Ergebnisse einer bundesweit repräsentativen Studie: Methodik, Alters-, Geschlechts- und Beurteilereffekte. Z Kinder Jugendpsychiatr 25:218–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Dryfoos JG (1990) Adolescents at risk: prevalence and prevention. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott D (1993) Health-enhancing and health-compromising lifestyles. In: Millstein SG, Petersen AC, Nightingale EO (eds) Promoting the health of adolescents: new directions for the twenty-first century. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 119–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Engels RCM, Bogt T (2001) Influences of risk behaviour on the quality of peer relations in adolescence. J Youth Adoles 6:675–695

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagemann-White C (1984) Sozialisation: männlich—weiblich. Leske + Budrich, Opladen

    Google Scholar 

  • Havighurst R (1952) Developmental tasks and education. McKay, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurrelmann K (1984) Societal and organizational factors of stress on students in school. Eur J Teach Educ 7:181–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurrelmann K (1990) Health promotion for adolescents. Prevention and corrective strategies against problem behaviour. J Adolesc 13:231–250

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hurrelmann K (1998) Human development and health. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurrelmann K (2000) Gesundheitssoziologie. Juventa, Weinheim

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurrelmann K (2004) Lebensphase Jugend. Juventa, Weinheim

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurrelmann K, Lösel F (1990) Health hazards in adolescence. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Irwin CE, Millstein SG (1992) Risk-taking behaviours and biopsychosocial development during adolescence. In: Susman EJ, Feagans LV, Ray WJ (eds) Emotion, cognition, health, and development in children and adolescents. Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ, pp 75–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Irwin CE, Scott JB, Uhler Cart C (2002) America's adolescents: where have we been, where are we going. J Adolesc Health 31:91–121

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Janin Jacquat B, François Y, Schmid H (2001) Konsum psychoaktiver Substanzen. In: Schmid H, Kuntsche EN, Delgrande M (eds) Anpassen, ausweichen, auflehnen—Fakten und Hintergründe zum Konsum psychoaktiver Substanzen von Schülerinnen und Schülern. Haupt, Bern, pp 347–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessor R (ed) (1998) New perspectives on adolescent risk behaviour. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessor R (2001) Problem-behaviour theory. In: Raithel J (ed) Risikoverhaltensweiser Jugendlicher. Formen, Erklärungen und Prävention. Leske + Budrich, Opladen, pp 61–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessor R, Jessor SL (1997) Problem behaviour and psychosocial development: a longitudinal study of youth. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolip P (1997) Geschlecht und Gesundheit im Jugendalter. Die Konstruktion von Geschlechtlichkeit über somatische Kulturen. Leske + Budrich, Opladen

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulbok PA, Cox CL (2002) Dimensions of adolescent health behavior. J Adolesc Health 31:394–400

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Millstein SG, Petersen AC, Nightingale EO (eds) (1993) Promoting the health of adolescents: new directions for the twenty-first century. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt T (1993) Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behaviour: a developmental taxonomy. Psychol Rev 100:674–701

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raithel J (1999) Unfallursache: Jugendliches Risikoverhalten. Verkehrsgefährdung Jugendlicher, psychosoziale Belastungen und Prävention. Juventa, Weinheim

    Google Scholar 

  • Resnick MD, Bearman PS, Blum RW, Nauman KE, Harris KM, Jones J, Tabor J et al (1997) Protecting adolescents from harm-findings from the National Longitudinal study on adolescent health. JAMA 278:823–832

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter M (ed) (1995) Psychosocial disturbances in young people: challenges for prevention. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid H, Nic Gabhain S (2004) Alcohol use. In: Currie C, Roberts C, Morgan A, Smith R, Settertobulte W, Samdal O, Barnekow Rasmussen V (eds) Young people's health in context—Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: international report from the 2001/02 survey. WHO-Europe, Copenhagen, pp 73–83

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulenberg JE, Maggs JL (2002) A developmental perspective on alcohol use and heavy drinking during adolescence and the transition to young adulthood. J Stud Alcohol 14(Suppl):54–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulenberg JE, Maggs JL, Hurrelmann K (eds) (1997) Health risks and developmental transitions during adolescence. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Seiffge-Krenke I (1998) Adolescents' health. Erlbaum, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Silbereisen RK, Noack P (1988) On the constructive role of problem behaviour in adolescence. In: Bolger N, Caspi A, Downey G, Moorehouse M (eds) Persons in context: developmental processes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 152–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Silbereisen RK, Todt E (1994) Adolescence in context. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Silbereisen RK, Eyferth K, Rudinger G (eds) (1986) Developmental as action in context: problem behaviour and normal youth development. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Steptoe A, Wardle J, Vinck J, Tuomisto M, Holte A, Wichstrom L (1994) Personality and attitudinal correlates of healthy and unhealthy lifestyles in young adults. Psychol Health 9:331–341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torsheim T, Välimaa R, Danielson M (2004) The health and well-being of young people. In: Currie C, Roberts C, Morgan A, Smith R, Settertobulte W, Samdal O, Barnekow Rasmussen V (eds) Young people's health in context—Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: international report from the 2001/02 survey. WHO-Europe, Copenhagen, pp 55–62

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, School of Public Health, University of Bielefeld, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany

    Klaus Hurrelmann & Matthias Richter

Authors
  1. Klaus Hurrelmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matthias Richter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthias Richter.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hurrelmann, K., Richter, M. Risk behaviour in adolescence: the relationship between developmental and health problems. J Public Health 14, 20–28 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-005-0005-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-005-0005-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation