Predicting Female Students' Risk-taking Behaviors Based on Basic Psychological Needs and Emotion Regulation

Identifying the factors that can prevent or reduce studentschr('39') risk-taking behaviors is crucial; therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prediction of female studentschr('39') risk-taking beahaviors based on basic psychological needs and emotion regulation.

The present study was a descriptive correlational study. From the population that included females in first and second high school students in Saravan in the 2019-2020 academic year, 357 people were selected by convenience sampling method. To collect information, the basic Psychological Needs Questionnaires (Deci & Ryan, 2000), Emotional rRgulation (Gross and John, 2003), and Iranian Adolescents Risk-Taking Behaviors (Zadeh Mohammadi, Ahmadabadi & Heidari, 2011) were used. Data were analyzed by using the SPSS-24 and Pearson correlation coefficient and simultaneous multiple regression tests at a significance level of 0.05.

The results showed a correlation between basic psychological needs (r = -0.590) and its components including autonomy (r = -0.442), competence (r = -0.552) and relationship (r = -0.330) with risk-taking behaviors was negative and significant (p<0.01). Also, the correlation between emotion regulation (r = -0.527) and its components including reassessment (r = -0.461), and repression (r = -0.443) with negative and significant risk (p <0.01) was significant. The results also showed that the variables of basic psychological needs and emotion regulation explain 54% of risk-taking behaviors variances in the model (p <0.01).

Based on the results of the research, the gratification of basic psychological needs and emotion regulation predict studentschr('39') risk-taking; therefore, intervention programs are suggested by school counselors and psychologists to improve these variables.