Risk-taking behavior among high school students in South Korea.

In a national sample of high school students, 43 per cent had drunk regularly, 32 per cent had smoked regularly, and 11 per cent had experienced sexual intercourse. Boys were more likely to have experienced these behaviors than girls. Going to school in Seoul, not having two parents in the family, and having an experience of living away from immediate family were associated with higher livelihood of experiencing these behaviors. Students who had friends with sexual experiences were much more likely to experience sex themselves than those without. Copyright 2001 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents.