Coping strategies of at-risk adolescents

Abstract

This study investigates risk-taking behaviours of young male offenders from the perspective of their stress and coping strategies. Risk-taking behaviors are not to be seen as mere antisocial acts of adolescents; rather they need to be understood as adolescents' efforts in trying to manage certain external and/or internal demands that they find to be stressful or that exceeding their resources. A sample of 29 young offenders residing at a boys" hostel in Singapore participated in this study, 9 of whom were interviewed.