PARENTAL AND PEER ATTACHEMENT, EMOTIONAL STATES AND RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOR AMONG SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

 This study examined the parental and peer attachment, emotional states, and risk-taking behavior of senior high school students, and explored the relationships among these variables. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed, with 331 Grade 11 and 12 students selected through random sampling.

Three instruments were used: the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised (IPPA-R) to assess perceptions of relationships with parents and peers, the Risk-Taking Questionnaire (RT-18) to measure risk-taking behavior, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) to evaluate emotional states.

Findings indicated that students were "attached" to their parents and "strongly attached" to their peers, with high levels of risk-taking behavior. Emotional states were not significantly related to maternal attachment but paternal attachment was linked to depressive symptoms, highlighting the father's role in adolescent well-being. Anxiety was associated with peer attachment, suggesting that fear of rejection may drive anxiety when peer conformity is at stake.No significant relationship was found between risk-taking and parental or peer attachment. However, depression and anxiety were linked to risk-taking behavior, suggesting that students may engage in risk-taking as a coping mechanism to manage negative emotions.

Keywords: parental and peer attachment, emotional states and risk-taking behavior