Shifting Focus to Mitigate Risk: Examining Gratitude as a Protective Factor in Relation to Adolescents’ Risk-Taking Behaviors

Negative risk-taking behavior poses a significant threat to adolescent health and development. Drawing on a strengths-based framework, this study investigated whether and how gratitude-an other-focused positive emotion-serves as a protective factor against such behavior in adolescents. Specifically, we examined the mediating roles of compassionate goal orientation and dual-mode self-control (i.e. poor control and good control). A sample of 646 Chinese adolescents (drawn from one university and two secondary schools) completed validated measures of trait gratitude, negative risk-taking behavior, compassionate goal, and dual-mode self-control. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that gratitude directly predicted lower levels of negative risk-taking. Furthermore, it exerted an indirect effect through a sequential pathway: by fostering a compassionate goal orientation, which in turn reduced impulsive tendencies (poor control), ultimately leading to less risk-taking. The mediating role of enhanced reflective control (good control) was not significant. These findings underscore gratitude as a psychological resource that can mitigate adolescent risk-taking by shifting focus toward others and strengthening impulse regulation, offering insights for interventions aimed at promoting positive youth development.