Risky Behaviour Research

Health Risk Behaviour

Our Health Risk Behaviour Special Interest Group is able to investigate areas of human risk-taking behaviour. The group has a range of measures on our participants relating to sexual risks, different legal and illegal substance use, driving and economic decisions across different ages within the Raine Study.

SIG Leaders:

Dr Jennifer Marino, The University of Melbourne

Prof Rachel Skinner, The University of Sydney

Key findings over the last 30 years have included:

Using information collected from the Raine Study participants, researchers found that problem behaviours (e.g. aggression, disobeying rules, cheating, stealing) from as early as 5 in boys and 8 in girls are related to earlier age at first sexual intercourse and predict a range of risky sexual behaviour in adolescence. Additionally, victims of peer aggression in adolescence are at increased risk of future internalising symptoms (e.g. fearfulness, social withdrawal) whilst victim-perpetrators were at increased risk of developing later problem behaviours such as aggressive and delinquent behaviours and perpetrators were found at increased risk of depression and harmful alcohol use. Researchers also suggest that the number and type of liquor licenses in the home neighborhood is associated with increased alcohol consumption in early adulthood.

Problem behaviours (e.g. aggression, disobeying rules, cheating, stealing) from as early as 5 in boys and 8 in girls are related to earlier age at first sexual intercourse and predict a range of risky sexual behaviour in adolescence.

  • Skinner SR, Robinson M, Smith MA, Robbins SC, Mattes E, Cannon J, Rosenthal SL, Marino JL, Hickey M, Doherty DA. Childhood behavior problems and age at first sexual intercourse: a prospective birth cohort study. Pediatrics. 2015;135(2):255-63.
  • Skinner SR, Marino J, Rosenthal SL, Cannon J, Doherty DA, Hickey M.  Prospective cohort study of childhood behaviour problems and adolescent sexual risk-taking: gender matters. Sex Health. 2017;14(6):492-501.

Peer aggression at 14 years is associated with a variety of mental health and substance use problems at age 17 years. 

  • Moore SEN, R.E; Sly P.D; Whitehouse, A.J; Zubrick, S. R; Scott, J. Adolescent peer aggression and it’s association with mental health and substance use in an Australian cohort. Journal of Adolescence. 2014;37(1):11-21.

The number and type of liquor licences in the home neighbourhood was associated with increased alcohol consumption at both age 20 and 22 years. 

  • Foster S, Trapp G, Hooper P, Oddy WH, Wood L and Knuiman M. Liquor landscapes: Does access to alcohol outlets influence alcohol consumption in young adults?. Health & Place. 2017;45:17-23.

 

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