Does your teen participate in risky behavior? Insights from the National Academies of Sciences reports that minors participating in risky behavior “is considered a necessary and normative part of adolescence.”1 Though this may be true, when should parents become concerned with their child’s risk-taking, and where should they seek out help if needed?
Guardian Recovery comprises a national network of substance misuse and mental health treatment options. Many of our facilities specialize in addressing the unique needs of adolescents during this volatile stage of life. Our teams of treatment professionals are passionate about ensuring both parents and teens maximize their full potential.
Contact Guardian Recovery today to find out more about our program options and locations. Our treatment Advisors are available day and night to answer your questions and guide you to the next step of your teen’s journey.
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Understanding Normal Adolescent Risk-Taking
Info from the National Academies of Sciences suggests that risky adolescent behaviors reflect a gap between an adolescent’s biological and social maturity.1 This time of social experimentation is often seen as healthy and normal, and these behaviors exhibit a teen’s desire to explore their own autonomy while developing a healthy sense of actions and consequences.
Risky behaviors in adolescents are also attributed to a child’s developing mind. Without a fully formed ability to assess risk, teens may not be able to understand inherent or long-term risks. Teens navigating these decisions in adolescence may actually help them prevent higher-stakes risk-taking in later adulthood.
Types of Risky Behaviors in Teens
Natasha Duell of the Center for Developmental Science and Department of Psychology and Neuroscience reports 5 primary domains in which parents can expect to see risk-taking behavior in their teen.2 These include:
- Physical — These healthy risks include behaviors like participating in a team sport or trying a new food.
- Emotional — Healthy risk behaviors in this domain include reaching out for help or apologizing for a mistake.
- Social — Positive social risks include behaviors like public speaking or asking someone out on a date.
- Intellectual — Intellectually healthy risks include enrolling in a challenging course or applying knowledge to a new situation.
- Spiritual — Teens may take healthy spiritual risks such as experimenting with different values and identities or volunteering for a cause they are passionate about.
Environmental Factors Influencing Teen Risk-Taking
Teens are often heavily influenced by their environments. According to the Institute of Medicine, a heavy correlation exists between a teen’s interpersonal, institutional, and contextual influences and risk-taking behaviors.3 As teens develop their sense of self, they look to external influences for “normal” behavior. Often, mentally developing adolescents quickly grasp their environment’s accepted patterns of behavior and adapt accordingly.
The Role of Peer Pressure in Risk-Taking Behaviors
An important environmental factor in adolescent risk-taking is peer pressure. Many teenage behaviors are a direct response to the activities of their peers. As adolescents develop their sense of self, interactions with peers play a major role. Whether it is to gain acceptance or establish themselves within a friend group, adolescents may use risk-taking as a means of social currency.
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Warning Signs of Problematic Risk-Taking
Within the 5 domains of healthy adolescent risk-taking, there are also problematic counterparts to healthy risks.2 These are risky behaviors that fall outside of the normal confines of teenage exploration and may be warning signs of underlying issues. These behaviors may include:
- Physical — Activities like driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and participating in unprotected sex may be considered unhealthy risks.
- Emotional — Using tactics like coercion or manipulation may be considered warning signs of problematic risk-taking.
- Social — Fighting, provoking fights, or other forms of bullying could be considered warning risky behavior.
- Intellectual — Using intellect to cheat in an academic setting could be considered an unhealthy risk behavior.
- Spiritual — Taking part in activities against one’s own personal beliefs or due to peer pressure are considered warning signs of problematic risk-taking.
Signs of a Deeper Issue
Teen behavior is often an outward sign of an internal thought or feeling. Adolescents experience the turbulent changes of early adulthood for the first time prior to having developed healthy coping skills. As teens mature, their behavior often evolves to healthier and more socially acceptable methods of communicating their needs. Until then, recognizing and assessing risk-taking behavior may be a way to understand a teen’s underlying issues.
Short-Term & Long-Term Consequences of Risky Behaviors
One of the defining factors of adolescent risk-taking is the inability to grasp the long-term effects of their current decisions. As risk-taking behaviors increase, so does the severity of short-term consequences and the likelihood of long-term consequences. Some areas these consequences may appear include:
- Physical — Short-term physical consequences of risky behavior may include hangover symptoms or mild injuries. Long-term physical side effects may include unwanted pregnancy, injuries with lasting side effects, or sexually transmitted illnesses.
- Financial — Short-term financial consequences include a lack of funds for immediate wants and needs while long-term consequences may include financial dependency and the inability to maintain employment.
- Legal — Short-term legal results of risky behavior may include traffic citations or minor legal infractions. Long-term legal risks may include severe infractions and lengthy terms of incarceration.
Strategies for Parents to Address Teen Risk-Taking
Developing open and honest communication with teens is a key element of addressing risk-taking behavior. Providing a nonjudgmental support system will enable your adolescent to recognize you as a dependable ally. Establishing yourself as a viable resource will encourage your teen to turn to you for help and guidance through the tumultuous years of adolescence.
When to Seek Professional Help for Teen Risk Behaviors
Providing professional resources to your teen may be a necessary option for addressing risk-taking behavior. Licensed professionals are trained to come alongside teens and parents to offer guidance and support throughout your child’s developing years. Through individual counseling, group therapy, and education, mental health professionals at Guardian Recovery and elsewhere can aid both children and families.
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Reaching Out
For more information on adolescent services, contact Guardian Recovery today. Our nationwide network of mental health treatment resources means that your child may be able to receive the help they need without extensive travel.
And if your teen should need substance use disorder care, we have you covered. Along with a virtual IOP for adolescents, Guardian Recovery offers two adolescent specific rehab facilities. One in Boca Raton, FL, treats girls aged 13 to 17 and offers a PHP with housing as well as an IOP. The other in Towaco, NJ, offers detox and residential treatment for those ages 13 to 17.
Contact us today to learn more about our straightforward admissions process and receive a free, no-obligation health insurance benefits check. We are here to help you take the first critical steps toward a healthier and happier life for both you and your teen.
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Disclaimer: Does not guarantee specific treatment outcomes, as individual results may vary. Our services are not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis; please consult a qualified healthcare provider for such matters.
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; Board on Children, Youth, and Families; Committee on Applying Lessons of Optimal Adolescent Health to Improve Behavioral Outcomes for Youth; Kahn NF, Graham R, editors. Promoting Positive Adolescent Health Behaviors and Outcomes: Thriving in the 21st Century. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2019 Dec 12.
- Duell N, Steinberg L. Positive Risk Taking in Adolescence. Child Dev Perspect. 2019 Mar;13(1):48-52. doi: 10.1111/cdep.12310. Epub 2018 Nov 6. PMID: 30774707; PMCID: PMC6371981.
- Institute of Medicine (US) and National Research Council (US) Committee on the Science of Adolescence. The Science of Adolescent Risk-Taking: Workshop Report. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2011. PMID: 21452457.
