Citation

Yoneda T, Ames ME, Leadbeater BJ. J. Adolesc. 2019; 73: 42-52.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, V8W 3P5, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.adolescence.2019.03.009

PMID

30978586

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: High levels of sensation seeking and impulsivity in adolescence are typically associated with risky behaviours; limited research has examined the relation of these traits to positive outcomes. Given that adolescence is a sensitive developmental period that can impact success later in life, we adopt the Positive Youth Development Framework to better understand how the development of self-reported sensation seeking and impulsivity may be differentially related to positive markers of early adulthood.

METHOD: Data are from the Victoria Healthy Youth Survey (T1 N = 662; 52% female), a six-wave longitudinal cohort study of Canadian youth. Parallel process latent class growth analysis estimated trajectories of sensation seeking and impulsivity identifying classes of youth (ages 14-28). Controlling for baseline age, sex, and socio-economic status, linear regression analyses examined how longitudinal patterns (classes) of sensation seeking and impulsivity were related to positive markers of early adulthood.

RESULTS: Three classes of youth were identified. These varied in levels and trajectories of change in sensation seeking (Ss) and impulsivity (I): LowSs-LowI, 26%; HighSs-HighI, 35%; ModerateSs-LowI, 38%. In young adulthood (T6; ages 22-29), youth in the LowSs-LowI and ModerateSs-LowI classes had significantly higher educational and occupational achievement, and lower financial strain, compared to youth in the HighSs-HighI class. Further, the ModerateSs-LowI class was associated with the highest levels of income and well-being.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings identified differential trajectories of sensation seeking and impulsivity, with youth in the ModerateSs-LowI class, followed by the LowSs-LowI class, reporting the most positive outcomes in young adulthood.

Copyright © 2019 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Achievement; Lifespan wisdom model; Parallel process latent class growth analysis; Positive youth development; Self-report impulsivity; Sensation seeking; Well-being