Understanding children's injury-risk behaviors: The independent contributions of cognitions and emotions

Abstract

Objective: Unintentional injuries are a leading threat to the health of elementary-school children, with many injuries happening when children are left to make their own decisions about risk taking during play. The present study sought to identify determinants of children's physical taking. Methods: An ecologically valid task that posed some threat of injury was used (i.e., highest height of a balance beam they would walk across). Ratings of cognitions (extent of danger, perceived vulnerability for personal injury, potential severity of injury) and emotional reactions (fear, excitement) were taken when on the beam, just before the children walked across. Results: Regression analysis, controlling for age and sex, revealed that risk taking was predicted from ratings of danger, fear, and excitement. Conclusions: Both cognitive and emotional factors independently contribute to predict children's physical risk taking. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved.