Development of prevalence of risk behavior among children and youth in the Czech Republic The risky behavior of youth can be considered an interdisciplinary problem that is the subject of research in several scientific disciplines - pedagogy (especially the special pedagogical discipline of etopedics, which deals with the education and re-education of individuals with behavioral disorders, and social pedagogy), sociology (social pathology), psychology (e.g. in the context of the syndrome of risky behavior in adolescence), criminology or addiction. Labeling of risky phenomena, risky manifestations of behavior or risky behavior currently dominates in the domestic environment, but as pointed out by Širůčková (2015), the definition of risky behavior differs and reflects the subject of interest of the given scientific field.
As a certain precursor to more serious forms of behavior, they define risky behavior, e.g. authors Moravcová et al. (2015, p. 46): "non-conforming behavior that is characterized by negative deviations from norms and violations of established social, school and other rules. However, a certain degree of occurrence of such behavior during adolescence is also considered normal in a way and rather points to the complexity of this period for each individual in their development." Under risky activities, the authors include the use of addictive substances, especially alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, and truancy. The author's collective Miovský (2015) also understands risky behavior as such when the signs of pathology have not yet been fulfilled.
In its current documents, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports exclusively uses the term risk phenomena and defines them as "various forms of behavior that have a negative impact on the health, social or psychological functioning of an individual and/or threaten their social environment. Risky behavior represents various types of behavior that range from extreme manifestations of "normal" behavior (e.g. running adrenaline sports) to manifestations of behavior bordering on pathology (e.g. excessive use alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine or illegal drugs, violence)." (MEYS, 2013, p. 9). What forms of behavior belong to the group of "risk behavior" are addressed by several binding documents at the level of the Ministry of Education. The main ones include: Methodological recommendations for the primary prevention of risky behavior in children and youth and the National strategy for the primary prevention of risky behavior in children and youth for the period 2013-2018. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports includes the following risk phenomena (MŠMT, 2013, p. 9; similarly, Sobotková et al., 2014, p. 40-41):
- interpersonal aggressive behavior - aggression, bullying, cyberbullying and other risky forms of communication through multimedia, violence, intolerance, anti-Semitism, extremism, racism and xenophobia, homophobia,
- delinquent behavior in relation to material goods – vandalism, theft, spraying and other crimes and misdemeanors,
- truancy and failure to fulfill school duties,
- addictive behavior - use of all addictive substances, netolism, gambling,
- risky sports activities and risky behavior in transport, accident prevention,
- spectrum of eating disorders,
- negative effects of sects and
- sexual risky behavior.
It is clear from the list that risky behavior includes both actions that threaten the health of the individual (truancy, eating disorders, addictive behavior, risky sports) and actions that threaten his environment (delinquent behavior). It also contains "risks" in the social environment of the individual, e.g. domestic violence or abuse, abuse and neglect of an individual. Sobotková et al. (2014, p. 40-41) still adds lying and the use of anabolics and steroids.
Already in the 1980s, Jessor formulated the so-called problem behavior syndrome, and defined it as such behavior that is perceived (by society, group) as a problem, as a source of concern or as unacceptable due to the generally binding norms of society. The designation "syndrome" means that an adolescent who behaves at risk in one area will also behave at risk in other areas. Jessor (1977) included, for example, in the problem behavior syndrome. negative attitude towards education, truancy, use of addictive substances, aggression and delinquency, avoidant behavior in relation to parents or risky sexual behavior (especially premature sexual intercourse).
In more recent (especially psychological and addiction-related) professional works, the designation syndrome of risky behavior in adolescence (SRCH-D) is used. Experimenting with risks is typical during adolescence, mostly temporary, but we cannot ignore possible health risks and consequences that may persist or appear in adulthood. There is talk of the so-called new youth morbidity, which is currently the main cause of mortality in this developmental period. In this context, the World Health Organization (WHO) has defined adolescents as a separate risk population group, and adolescent health is defined, among other things, by the absence of risk-problem behavior. SRCH-D contains three main areas of risky behavior (e.g. Hamanová, Kabíček, 2001):
- substance abuse - in our conditions, it is a serious problem, especially the use of legal addictive substances and marijuana, non-substance addictions associated with information technologies are on the rise; the age of users is decreasing and the number of girls is increasing;
- negative phenomena in the field of psychosocial development – behavioral disorders and manifestations of social maladaptation (cruelty to the weaker, destruction of property, theft, lying, school failure, truancy, running away, aggression, auto-aggression and suicidal behavior, delinquency and criminality), frequent psychiatric comorbidity is characteristic;
- risky behavior in the field of reproductive health – premature sexual life, changing partners, early and unwanted pregnancies, venereal diseases.
Manifestations of the mentioned areas do not occur in isolation, they have common risk and protective factors to a large extent. It is the designation syndrome of risky behavior in adolescence that emphasizes the simultaneous occurrence and characteristic grouping of several symptoms in the context of a specific developmental period.
In the Czech Republic and in other European countries, numerous researches are conducted to determine the prevalence of risky behavior, in connection with the relationships between selected personality traits, social aspects (eg family structure) or other types of behavior (eg spending free time). In the following section, we will point out selected results regarding the development of the prevalence of risky behavior in selected representative researches or in international studies.
The European School Study on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) represents the largest pan-European study focused on determining the extent of substance use among 16-year-old students. The project has been implemented every 4 years since 1995 and monitors e.g. monthly and lifetime prevalence of smoking, consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs, trends in addictive behavior. In 2015, the study also expanded to include playing computer games, gambling and other internet activities. In the European context, the experiences of Czech 16-year-old students are above average, especially regarding lifetime experiences with the use of legal and illegal drugs. The main trends in the use of addictive substances among 16-year-olds in the years 1995–2015 (Csémy, Chomynová, Mravčík, 2016, p. 2) pointed to:
- a significant decrease in the prevalence of cigarette smoking, a decrease in the prevalence of daily smoking and heavy smoking (i.e. smoking 11 or more cigarettes per day),
- significant decrease in alcohol consumption, including risky consumption (e.g. use of excessive doses of alcohol),
- in 2015, the youth's experience with illegal drugs continued to decline,
- a significant decrease in experience with the use of cannabis substances among boys; for girls, the situation has not changed in recent years, and the differences between boys and girls are evening out,
- increase in the average age of the first experience with cigarettes and alcohol; the consumption of addictive substances thus shifts to an older age, even in the case of cannabis drugs
Similar results are indicated by the International Research Study on the Health and Lifestyle of Children and Schoolchildren (HBSC), a study by the World Health Organization. In four-year intervals, the study monitors specific areas that have a significant relationship with the physical and mental health of children and youth, e.g. smoking and alcohol use, health and psychosomatic problems, eating habits, physical activity, leisure activities, etc. The last data collection took place in the 2013/2014 school year (Extensive research study on the lifestyle of the young generation in Europe, 2016; Growing up unequal: gender and socioeconomic differences in young people's health and well-being, 2016).
The Institute for Criminology and Social Prevention (IKSP) provides an annual analytical overview of the development of registered crime in the Czech Republic from several departmental and non-departmental statistics under the title Crime Trend Analysis (Diblíková et al., 2016). Another document that summarizes the findings of the Ministry of the Interior and the Police of the Czech Republic in particular is the Report on the situation in the field of internal security and public order in the territory of the Czech Republic (Report on the situation in the field of public order and internal security in the territory of the Czech Republic in 2015, 2016).
Tab. 1: Development of the number of prosecuted and investigated persons in the Czech Republic with a focus on the number and proportion of offenders - children and juveniles
Processed from: Report on the situation in the field of public order and internal security in the territory of the Czech Republic in 2015, 2016, appendix part
As shown in tab. no. 1, from a long-term point of view, the number of perpetrators of criminal activity is stagnating, as well as the level of youth crime is still decreasing (from the point of view of criminal law, youth is considered an individual from birth to reaching the age of majority, i.e. up to 18 years of age). The most common type of crime committed is property crime, especially theft by breaking into other objects, simple theft in apartments, houses, shops and other objects (Diblíková et al., 2015).
The international research project International Self-Report Study of Delinquency (ISRD) also focuses on delinquency. The first wave was implemented in 1992, the last in 2013, and more than 30 mainly European countries, including the Czech Republic, participated in it. The study focuses on students aged approximately 12–16 years. The advantage of this study is not only the possibility of comparing the prevalence of delinquency and risky behavior over time, but especially the fact that it affects latent criminality, which is not captured in registered criminality. The results of the study, compared to the previous study from 2007, showed that the prevalence of delinquency among children and youth is decreasing, mostly in the area of property crime (even when converted to indices showing the proportion of people in a given age category). On the other hand, there is a significant increase in the proportion of delinquent girls - the data show a gradual reduction in the differences in delinquency between boys and girls over time. (Moravcová et al., 2015, p. 26-45)
The Center for the Prevention of Risky Virtual Communication of the Faculty of Education of the Palacký University in Olomouc focuses on the area of risky communication phenomena associated with the use of information and communication technologies. Kopecký's collective of authors (Kopecký et al., 2015) points out that the number of Internet users will continue to increase, and younger and younger age groups will also enter the virtual world. Therefore, we can expect an increasing number of cyber attacks. That, among other things confirms tab. no. 2, which presents the development of cyberbullying in the population of Czech children from 2011 to 2013:
Tab. 2: Development of cyberbullying in the population of Czech children (2011–2013) – victims
Among other important research projects that provide information on the prevalence, but also the development and trends in the area of risky behavior, there is, for example, the project Risk factors of school, social and health development of school youth (SAHA), which maps risk and protective factors of the lifestyle of school youth. In agreement with the authors (Sobotková et al., 2014; Blatný et. al, 2004), we can state that the results of the national part of the study are congruent with the results of other studies, e.g. ESPAD and HBSC. At the Palacký University in Olomouc, numerous researches are conducted dealing with the issue of adolescent risky behavior (e.g. bullying, delinquency or substance use), especially in relation to selected personality characteristics (e.g. Dolejš, Skopal, Suchá, 2014). Since 2015, the University of Hradec Králové has been researching behavior affecting health in adolescence, in connection with selected personal and social characteristics of the respondent (e.g. depression, psychological resistance, social support or physical activity; e.g. Hoferková, Pelcák, 2014).
In conclusion
It is understandable that the behavior of children and youth, which violates applicable social or group norms or poses a risk of health damage, is in the center of interest of the professional and lay public. Currently, research activities are focused on the issue of risky behavior in its psychosocial context. In recent years, one can see the effort for a multidisciplinary view of the problem of risky behavior of children and youth, which is also reflected in the form and focus of individual research. Therefore, valuable information is provided not only by large, representative and longitudinal research, but also by smaller-scale investigations that emphasize the specific context of this phenomenon, focus on a selected part of the population or use non-traditional research methods.
Research results indicate a clear decrease in the occurrence of risky behavior among Czech youth - especially in the case of regular consumption of addictive substances, but also in other forms of risky behavior among youth, including crime and delinquency. Moreover, this is a general trend that is not specific only to youth in the Czech Republic, but similar changes are also recorded in a number of European countries. In the case of a decrease in registered crime, experts believe that the reason may be not only the demographic situation, but also the relatively high latency of petty property crime among young people (it may be due to, for example, a lower willingness of individuals to report minor property offenses). Equalizing experiences between the sexes can be a worrying fact. The collective of authors Csémy, Chomynová, Mravčík (2016) pointed out that while in the 1990s the occurrence of risky behavior, including the use of addictive substances, was higher among boys, the differences between the sexes are gradually equalizing.
The reasons for the changes described above are discussed by experts and practitioners. The positive effects of the implementation of preventive programs and other measures of various policies (criminal policies, anti-drug policies, etc.) are likely to be manifested. A healthy lifestyle (healthy and organic foods, sports activities, etc.) is coming to the fore. A clear shift has occurred in the nature of spending free time of children and youth, which is certainly reflected in the form of risky behavior. It turns out that the massive use of information and communication technologies has a fundamental effect on the lifestyle of children and youth, also in the area of risky behavior. By reducing the time spent with peers "outside" there is a decrease in some forms of risky behavior (this trend was pointed out, for example, by Marešová, 2014, who, in agreement with criminologists, states that the crime of children and adolescents is moving "from the street to social networks"). Risky is no longer the real "outside world", but the virtual one that we enter at home, at school or in public spaces via a computer or mobile phone. It is therefore desirable that both research and preventive activities be directed in this direction.
Author: Mgr. et Mgr. Stanislava Hoferková, Ph.D. The author works as an assistant professor at the Department of Social Pathology and Sociology, PdF UHK. It deals with the problem of risky behavior in the context of social pathology, etopedia and penology. List of bibliographic references
BLATNÝ, Marek et al. Results of the Czech part of the international project SAHA I.: descriptive analysis of risky behavior and risk and protective factors in the development of juveniles from urban areas. Brno: Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Psychology, 2004. 35 sheets. Reports - Psychological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, vol. 10/2004, no. 1. ISBN 80-239-5002-9.
CSÉMY, Ladislav – CHOMYNOVÁ, Pavla – MRAVČÍK, Viktor. European school study on alcohol and other drugs (ESPAD) 2015. Focused. Prague: Office of the Government of the Czech Republic. ISSN 2336-8241, 2016, 5, 1–16.
DIBLÍKOVÁ, Simona et al. 2016. Analysis of crime trends in the Czech Republic in 2015. Prague: Institute for Criminology and Social Prevention, 2016. 131 p. ISBN 978-80-7338-162-2.
DOLEJŠ, Martin – SKOPAL, Ondřej – SUCHÁ, Jaroslava et al. 2014. Protective and risky personality traits in adolescents. 1st ed. Olomouc: Palacký University in Olomouc, 2014. 153 p. ISBN 978-80-244-4181-8.
HAMANOVÁ, Jana – KABÍČEK, Pavel. 2001. Risky behavior syndrome in adolescence. Medical newspaper. Medical letters. ISSN 1214-7664, 2001, L, 4, 38–40.
HOFERKOVÁ, Stanislava – PELCÁK, Stanislava. 2015. Future time perspective of pubescent. First edition. Hradec Králové: Gaudeamus, 2015. 153 p. ISBN 978-80-7435-630-8.
JESSOR, Richard. 1977. Problem behavior and psychosocial development: A longitudinal study of youth. New York: Academic Press, 1977. 281 p. ISBN 9780123847508.
KOPECKÝ, Kamil et al. 2015. Risky forms of behavior of Czech and Slovak children in the Internet environment. 1st edition. Olomouc: Palacký University in Olomouc, 2015. 169 pages. ISBN 978-80-244-4861-9.
MAREŠOVÁ, Alena et al. 2014. Analysis of crime trends in 2013. Prague: IKSP, 2014. 121 p. ISBN 978-80-7338-142-4.
MIOVSKÝ, Michal et al. 2015. Prevention of risky behavior in education. The second, revised and supplemented edition. Prague: Addiction Clinic of the 1st Faculty of Medicine in Prague and VFN in Prague, 2015. 328 pages. ISBN 978-80-7422-391-4.
MORAVCOVÁ, Eva et al. 2015. Youth delinquency: trends and contexts. Ed. 1. Prague: Triton, 2015. 231 p. ISBN 978-80-7387-860-3.
National strategy for the primary prevention of risky behavior of children and youth for the period 2013-2018 [online]. MŠMT, © 2013 [cit. 2017-01-17]. Available online: http://www.msmt.cz/vzdelavani/socialni-programy/strategie-a-koncepce-ap-msmt
A large-scale research study on the lifestyle of the young generation in Europe: Press release. [online]. HBSC, 2016 [cit. 2016-09-09]. Available online: http://www.hbsc.upol.cz/download/tz_hbsc_olomouc_2016.pdf
SOBOTKOVÁ, Veronika et al. 2014. Risky and antisocial behavior in adolescence. Ed. 1. Prague: Grada, 2014. 147 p. ISBN 978-80-247-4042-3.
ŠIRŮČKOVÁ, Michaela. 2015. Risky behavior. In: MIOVSKÝ, Michal et al. Explanatory dictionary of basic concepts of school prevention of risky behavior. The second, revised and supplemented edition. Prague: Clinic of Addiction 1. LF UK in Prague and VFN in Prague, 2015, 161–166 p. ISBN 978-80-7422-391-4.
Report on the situation in the field of public order and internal security in the territory of the Czech Republic in 2015 (compared to 2014). [online]. Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, 2016, 86 p. [cit. 2017-01-08]. Available online: http://www.mvcr.cz/clanek/zprava-o-situaci-v-oblasti-vnitrni-bezpecnosti-a-verejneho-poradku-na-uzemi-ceske-republiky-v-roce-2015.aspx