It is highly likely for teens who believe that they will die young to engage in risky behavior, a new research by experts at the University of Minnesota Medical School (UMMS) has found. The investigation, which was led by researcher Iris Borowsky, MD, PhD, comes to show that about one in seven teenagers feels like they will die before the age of 35, and that this type of mentality makes them more likely to engage in behaviors such as using illicit drugs, attempting suicide, fighting, or having unsafe intercourse with one or more partners.
The data the scientists used was collected from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a wide-scale research featuring more than 20,000 youngsters. Seven- to twelve-graders were included in this study, which has revealed that about 15 percent of all youth seem to think they will die before the age of 35. These teens say that they have a 50/50 chance of getting past that age, but that, most likely, they will not. As a result, they consider it natural to engage in risky behavior, Borowsky notes.
She also highlights the fact that, conversely, those who engage in risky behavior tend, after only one or two years, to start believing that they will die sooner than the age of 35. Additionally, the research reveals the fact that those who engage in harmful behavior are very likely to suffer from HIV/AIDS only five to six years after the start of the study, which is a fairly short period of time, statistically speaking.
“While conventional wisdom says that teens engage in risky behaviors because they feel invulnerable to harm, this study suggests that in some cases, teens take risks because they overestimate their vulnerability, specifically their risk of dying. These youth may take risks because they feel hopeless and figure that not much is at stake,” the expert adds. “Our findings reinforce the importance of instilling a sense of hope and optimism in youth. Strong connections with parents, families, and schools, as well as positive media messages, are likely important factors in developing an optimistic outlook for young people,” Borowsky says.
Funded by a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grant, the new study, entitled “Health Status and Behavioral Outcomes for Youth Who Anticipate a High Likelihood of Early Death,” will appear in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics. It also proposes that teens should be screened for this type of perceived risk by a trained physician, since their early years. “This unusually common pessimistic view of the future is a powerful marker for high-risk status and thus deserves attention,” Borowsky concludes.
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