The Relation between Five-Factor Personality Traits and Risk-Taking Behavior in Preadolescents

The predictive relation between Five-Factor Model (FFM) personality traits using the Five Factor Personality Inventory-Children (FFPI-C) and degrees of risk-taking in preadolescents (ages 10 to 12) was studied in a sample of 50 fifth-graders. Results indicated that high Extraversion and Openness to Experience and low Conscientiousness were correlated with high risk-taking. The FFPI-C factors were significantly predictive of risk-taking behavior, and accounted for 42% of the risk-taking variance, based on a multiple regression analysis. These findings suggest that the same mechanisms that are associated with adult risk-taking may already be present in children as young as 10 to 12 years of age.