The Role of Cognitive Abilities and Sensation Seeking in High Risk Behaviors: The Mediational Model of Future Orientation and Calculation

 Risky behaviors are among the factors that threaten the health of adolescents, which have significant effects on adolescents and society. The aim of this research is to determine the mediating role of cost-benefit estimation, future orientation in the relationship between sensation seeking and cognitive abilities with high-risk behaviors among adolescents in Shiraz.

 This correlational and structural equation modeling study was conducted with the participation of 500 male adolescent in Shiraz city with available sampling in 2023. The data were collected using questionnaires of cognitive abilities, future orientation, calculation, risky behavior and the short form of sensation seeking scale. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method and SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Ill., USA) and AMOS-26 statistical software.

 With the increase in sensation seeking, risky behaviors increased (r=0.12). But with the increase of cognitive capabilities (r=-0.41), future orientation (r=-0.26) and cost-benefit estimation (r=-0.20), behaviors Risky decreased. Cognitive abilities have a direct, negative and significant effect on high-risk behaviors
(β=-0.501, P<0.001), while a positive and significant direct effect on cost-benefit estimation (β=0.260, P<0.001) and future orientation (β=-0.683, P<0.001). On the other hand, sensation seeking has a direct, positive and significant effect on risky behaviors (β=0.131, P<0.001) and cost-benefit estimation (β=0.397, P<0.001), while which has a significant and negative direct effect on future orientation (β=-0.084, P=0.023). Also, cost-benefit estimation (β=-0.169, P<0.001) and future orientation (β=-0.139, P=0.024) have a negative and significant direct effect on high-risk behaviors.

 The study showed that rising risky behaviors increased with the increase in sensation seeking. But with the increase of cognitive capabilities, future orientation and cost-benefit estimation, risky behaviors decreased. Sensationalism and cognitive abilities have a negative indirect effect on high-risk behaviors through cost-benefit estimation and future orientation. Therefore, the two variables of cost and benefit estimation and future orientation have a mediating role in the relationship between sensation seeking and cognitive abilities with risky behavior.