The influence of self-efficacy and emotion regulation on participation in reasoned and reactive risk behaviours.

Abstract

Reasoned risk engagement involves forethought and supports goal-directed behaviour. In contrast, reactive risk-taking may produce harmful unforeseen outcomes. This study examined whether self-efficacy beliefs directly influence the extent to which risk behaviours are either reasoned or reactive and whether this relationship is mediated by emotion regulation skills. A sample of 78 participants completed measures of self-efficacy, emotion regulation skills and planned versus unplanned risk engagement. The relationship between age and the percentage of risk behaviour which was planned was not significant. There was a significant positive correlation between self-efficacy and the percentage of planned risk behaviour. However, this relationship was not mediated by emotion regulation skills. These findings support the proposal that efficacy beliefs influence behaviour involving risk and indicate that greater self-efficacy may support the cognitive processes associated with reasoned risk-taking. However, further research is required to understand the relationship between efficacy beliefs and affective processes and their impact on risk behaviour.