Risk-behaviour in adolescence: drug-use and sexual activity in Italy and the Netherlands

Within an interactionistic and constructivistic theoretical framework, and considering adolescence as one of the key periods for the development of healthier or riskier life-styles, the present cross-national research is aimed at investigating the similarities and the differences for the prevalence and the patterns of involvement in psychoactive substances and sex, and the relation between these risk behaviours and the individual and environmental resources and vulnerabilities. It also evaluates the buffering effect on the impact of risk factors by the protective ones. Finally, the possible positive functions of risk behaviours in normal developmental paths are investigated