Risk Behaviors of Dominican Adolescents in Their Homeland and in the United States

IntroductionAdolescence is a time of developmental change. The major task of adolescence is to become an independent individual capable of functioning as a contributing adult within culturally expected norms. It is often accompanied by frustration and difficulties with adjustments. One typical response of adolescents to these changes is engaging in high-risk behaviors. The purpose of this study was to compare self-reported high risk behaviors that may lead to unintentional and intentional injuries among adolescents living in the Dominican Republic and Dominican adolescents living in the United States.MethodThis study used a cross-sectional, comparative design with data collection sites in Las Matas de Farfan, Dominican Republic, and Boston, MA, United States. Data were collected using the 99-item 1999 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.ResultsFindings indicated that adolescents in both groups reported similar risk behaviors in all areas; however, there were few differences between the two groups that did exist.DiscussionTo educate youth regarding outcomes of high-risk behaviors, it is necessary for providers to engage in discussion with adolescents regarding specific risk behaviors that are commonly practiced in their homeland or in their cultural groups.