Risk cognition and risk behaviors concerning sexual victimization in female undergraduates

This study aimed to develop a new self-rating questionnaire, the Risk Cognition and Risk Behavior Scale for Female Undergraduates (RCRBS-FU); to measure risk cognition and risk behaviors related to sexual victimization (in Study 1 and Study 2); and to examine the association of the behavioral inhibition and behavioral approach system (BIS/BAS) personality characteristics and risk cognition with the tendency to engage in risk behaviors among female adolescents (in Study 3). Japanese female university students participated in several surveys using questionnaires, with 300 female students in Study 1, 252 in Study 2, and 238 in Study 3. In Study 1 and Study 2, factor and correlation analyses demonstrated good/acceptable internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity of the RCRBS-FU. In Study 3, a multiple regression analysis indicated that risk cognition was strongly and inversely associated with risk behaviors independently of BIS/BAS. Our findings suggest that the RCRBS-FU has adequate reliability and validity in showing that risk cognition plays an important role in the involvement of risk behaviors among female adolescents.