Risky behaviors (e.g., binge drinking, drunk driving, risky sex) are increasing among U.S. college students, and the personality trait of sensation seeking provides a potential link between such norm-breaking behaviors and biological processes. We examined the relationship between sensation-seeking behaviors and two hormones, testosterone and cortisol, in male and female college students. Hormo...

Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education: For risky behaviors and mental disorders. The construct of impulsivity is significantly important in research and clinical fields concerning risky behaviors and some mental disorders. Although, according to DSM and ICD, impulsivity is recognized as a diagnostic criterion for several disorders (1), but the way it influences menta...

Objective: Male-to-male sexual contact is the most common mode of transmission for HIV among Latino men. Psychosocial factors such as machismo, homophobic discrimination, and internalized homophobia have been hypothesized to greatly impact sexual behaviors among Latinos. However, studies investigating the relationship between these psychosocial factors and risky sexual behaviors are limited. Th...

The operation of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) by youth has contributed to the incidence of serious and fatal injuries among children. This study explored factors related to the frequency with which youth wore a helmet and refrained from engaging in three risky driving behaviors (driving at risky speeds, on paved roads and on unfamiliar terrain) while operating an ATV. Youth (n = 248) aged 9-14 f...

Although research supports the influence of parents and peers on adolescent risky behavior, less is known about mechanisms proposed to explain this relation. This study examined the influence of adolescent attitudes and intentions about such behaviors. Prospective, longitudinal data came from rural youth who participated throughout adolescence (n= 451). Observed harsh parenting and relationship...

BACKGROUND Age, poverty and alcohol use are seen as risk factors for HIV among women in sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to understand the influence of socioeconomic factors (including age and poverty) as well as alcohol use on risky sexual behaviors among women in Mongu, Zambia. METHODS This study examines these factors in the local context of Mongu, Zambia usi...