ABSTRACT

The current study focused on risk-taking behaviour among young adults who spent a long period of time outside their home country as backpackers, a growing phenomenon among this age group. Using concepts from Jessor’s problem-behaviour theory (1991), we examined different risk and protective factors as predictors of risk-taking behaviours among young people on backpacking trips abroad. Our analysis included personal factors and environmental resources (social support and community participation). We also examined the potential of social support and community participation to moderate the effects that personal factors have on risk-taking behaviour. After at least one month abroad, 316 young backpackers answered a quantitative questionnaire. Our findings suggest that risk-taking behaviours are predicted by lower education level, longer period abroad, and lower levels of sense of mastery, family support, and community participation. Additionally, the findings indicated that peer support and community participation moderated the relationships between personal traits and risk-taking behaviours. The results are discussed in terms of their potential to guide efforts to limit risk-taking among young backpackers by strengthening their sense of mastery, by urging the continuation of family support, and by encouraging participation in the local community during their travels abroad.

摘要

目前的研究侧重于在国外作为背包客长时间在国外度过的年轻人的冒险行为，这是这个年龄组中日益增长的现象。使用 Jessor 的问题行为理论 (1991) 中的概念，我们检查了不同的风险和保护因素作为年轻人在国外背包旅行中冒险行为的预测因素。我们的分析包括个人因素和环境资源（社会支持和社区参与）。我们还研究了社会支持和社区参与在缓和个人因素对冒险行为的影响方面的潜力。在国外至少一个月后，316 名年轻的背包客回答了一份定量问卷。我们的研究结果表明，较低的教育水平、较长的出国时间可以预测冒险行为，掌握感、家庭支持和社区参与程度较低。此外，研究结果表明，同伴支持和社区参与调节了个人特质和冒险行为之间的关系。讨论的结果是通过增强他们的掌控感、敦促继续提供家庭支持以及鼓励他们在出国旅行期间参与当地社区来指导限制年轻背包客冒险的潜力。