Risk Behavior in a Community Sample of Children and Adolescents

A sample of 9-17-year-old youths (n=1285) & their caretakers were interviewed in the Methods for the Epidemiology of Child & Adolescent Mental Disorders Study. The risk behaviours were marijuana smoking, alcohol use, intercourse, fighting, cigarette smoking, & suicidal ideation/attempts. There were significant relationships between all pairs of risk behaviours. The score on the index of risk behaviour was associated with stressors, lack of resources, family psychiatric disorder, psychopathology, & functional impairment. (48 refs.)