Taking on challenges is an important and normal part of adolescent behavior which allows teens to learn about their abilities and promotes self esteem. Although some healthy adolescent risk taking promotes growth, a significant portion is dangerous behavior. This consists of taking risks without safeguards, with little or no thought or assessment of the consequences.

Currently adolescents in the United States have many opportunities for risk behaviors: drinking; smoking; reckless driving of motor vehicles; reckless participation in potentially dangerous sports activities; using legal and illegal drugs; participating in sexual activities without protection against sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy; disordered eating behavior; bodily mutilations; violent activities such as rape, robbery; suicide; or murder and carelessly placing themselves in positions wherein they can be victimized, including running away from home.

Parents, teachers, and adolescents need to be informed about risk behaviors because these contribute to mortality and morbidity. Adults need to talk to teenagers about risks of all kinds to help them develop their own process to assess risks and make choices for healthy, growth-promoting challenges instead of unhealthy, dangerous behaviors. When parents are able to discuss these matters calmly with their offspring they are more likely to imbue them with proper guidelines and respect for considering consequences of actions to help them perceive and avoid dangerous behavior. Peer groups and teacher-led groups in school may also promote this.

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