Perceived Safety and Teen Risk Taking in Online Chat Sites

Framed by theories of adolescent development, this study explored relationships among adolescents' perceptions of chat-site safety, time spent chatting, and risky online behaviors. Tenth graders (N=139) in rural Mid-western U.S. schools completed surveys. Factor analysis produced three factors each for perception of safety and risk-taking behaviors. Regression analyses revealed that perception of safety factors were useful in predicting online risk-taking behaviors. Teens with more social discomfort and those who thought it was safe to reveal personal information and trust chat-site "friends'' were more likely to take risks. As time spent in chat sites increased, so did risk-taking behaviors. Implications for educators and parents are discussed, such as initiation of conversations about safe Internet use, parental participation in chat sites as teens' invited "friends,'' and school programs to teach safe online practices.