Resilience,decision-making and risk behaviours among early adolescents in Penang,Malaysia

ABSTRACT

The study sought to determine the relationship between resilience and risk behaviours among early adolescents with decision-making acting as a mediator. Seventh and Eighth Grade students (N = 65) were recruited at a high-needs school in Penang, Malaysia. All participants responded to the Child and Youth Resilience Measure and completed the computerized Balloon Analogue Risk Task-Youth Version. Participants’ Disciplinary Demerit Records were obtained as the measure of risk behaviours. Resilience and its three dimensions–individual, family, and contextual level factors–were analysed using bootstrapping and macro codes for SPSS. The results indicated that decision-making significantly mediated the association between resilience and risk behaviours among early adolescents. The relationship between contextual level factors and risk behaviours could be partially explained by decision-making. The findings suggest that adolescents should be taught decision-making skills early to minimize risk behaviours in daily life.