Risk Behavior
Development Lab
“Never Have I Ever . . .” Study
What causes people to engage in behavior that is harmful to themselves or others? A lot of the research in this area has focused on risky behavior in men and boys – but our lab is interested in how these behaviors may develop and manifest in women and girls. It is imperative to understand how these behaviors develop so that we can develop gender-sensitive interventions and prevention efforts. Therefore, we are also interested in evaluating what types of services are most likely to benefit women and girls who engage in risky behaviors.
Finally, our research in this area also seeks to understand some of the possible consequences of risky behaviors in women and girls. For example, what are the mental and physical health consequences of these behaviors? How do others perceive women or girls who engage in risky behaviors and how might these perceptions influence other aspects of their lives?
Risky behaviors that are of particular interest to us include: violence towards others, criminal behavior, substance use, and risky sexual behaviors.