Risk Behaviour of Adolescents Aged 10–15 in Slovakia. Relation to Sex, Age, and Body Mass Index

BACKGROUND: As a theoretical base we used Jessor’s concept of the Syndrome of Risk Behaviour in Adolescence, the self-concept, and the concept of body image.

AIM: The main aim of the contribution was research on the relations between the self-schema, specifically the physical proportions represented by BMI, and risk behaviour. The secondary aims were research on the relations between the self-schema, specifically the physical proportions represented by BMI, and sex and age.

METHOD: In the research we used the 46-item modified version of the Risk Behaviour Questionnaire (Čerešník, 2016).

SAMPLE: We acquired data from almost 900 adolescents from all regions of Slovakia. They were aged from 10 to 15 (M = 12.69; SD = 1.48). They were attending the lower system of secondary schools.

RESULTS: We found that there are significant sex and age differences in some manifestations of risk behaviour. We also found that adolescents with a higher BMI (above the 85th percentile) behave in a more risky manner.

CONCLUSIONS: We identified the differences in risk behaviour in relation to sex (boys are at greater risk in the areas of abuse and delinquency, girls in the areas of inadequate eating and physical activity) in relation to age in overall risk behaviour and in several monitored areas, with an increasing level of risk up to the age of 14, and in relation to BMI in overall risk behaviour and on the subscales of delinquency and inadequate eating and physical activity (adolescents with higher BMI are at greater risk).