Self-Reported Depression and Risk-Taking Behaviors among Hispanic Adolescents

In assessing the relationships between self-reported depression and certain key risk-taking behaviors among a national sample of Hispanic adolescents (N = 935, ages 12 to 19 years), girls who reported depression were significantly more likely to engage in these behaviors than girls who did not report depression. No significant differences were found among boys (n = 470), although they were more likely than girls (n = 465) to take risks regardless of depressive state. These results suggest that depressive symptoms may be a market for engagement in risk-taking behaviors among Hispanic girls.