Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to determine predictive power of gender, age, academic success, trait anxiety, hopelessness and self-esteem on risk behaviors of adolescents. The sample of the study consisted of 519 (291 female and 228 male) students from six high schools in the metropolitan City of Ankara, Turkey, during spring the semester of 2011- 2012 academic year. Risk Behaviors Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Anxiety Subscale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory and Personal Information Form were used for data collection. Multiple regression analysis was used for data analysis. Results showed that gender, age, academic success, trait anxiety, hopelessness and self-esteem accounted for 21% of variance in adolescent risk behaviors. Gender, age, trait anxiety and hopelessness significantly predicted adolescent risk behavior. Male students had higher scores on risk behaviors than female students. Higher scores on age, trait anxiety and hopelessness corresponded to higher scores in risk behaviors. On the other hand, academic success and self-esteem did not significantly predict adolescent risk behavior. Results, limitations of the study, implications of the findings and recommendations for psychological counselors and future research were discussed.

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