title: Risk-taking behaviors and subgrouping of college students: a latent class analysis.
abstract: Risk-taking behaviors have negative consequences on adolescent and young adult's health. The aim of this study was to identify the subgroups of college students on the basis of risk-taking behaviors and to assess the role of demographic characteristics, religious beliefs, and parental support on membership of specific subgroup. The cross-sectional study took place in Tabriz (northwest of Iran) in April and May of 2011. The randomly selected sample consisted of 1,837 college students. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Latent class analysis was performed to achieve the study's objectives. Four latent classes were identified: (a) low risk, (b) cigarette and hookah smoker, (c) sexual and drinking risk-takers (for males)/sexual risk takers (for females), and (d) high risk. Notably, 13.3% of the males and 4.3% of the females were in the high-risk class. The results identified evidence of protective influence of familial support and religiosity on risky behaviors. A fair number of college students, males in particular, were identified as high risk-takers. Design and implementation of preventive interventions for this segment of the population are necessary. Higher level of familial support and religiosity may serve as preventive factors in risk-taking behaviors.
authors.affiliation: 1Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Asghar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammadpoorasl
authors.forename: Abbas Abbasi
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ghahramanloo
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Allahverdipour
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012309:Risk-Taking; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: college students; familial support; latent class analysis; religiosity; risk-taking behaviors