Reckless Behavior Questionnaire (RBQ)

Abstract

The Reckless Behavior Questionnaire (RBQ) is a widely utilized self-report instrument developed by Jeffrey Arnett in 1989. Its primary function is to quantify the frequency with which individuals, particularly adolescents and emerging adults, engage in a defined set of high-risk and potentially harmful behaviors. The scale consists of ten items covering diverse domains, including substance misuse, illegal acts, dangerous driving, and risky sexual practices. The RBQ is essential for researchers studying developmental risk-taking trajectories and correlating behavioral outcomes with underlying psychological constructs such as impulsivity and sensation seeking.

Keywords

Reckless behavior, Risk-taking, Adolescence, Emerging adulthood, Substance misuse, High-risk behavior, Arnett, Developmental psychology.

Authors

Jeffrey Arnett, D. S. Shaw, E. F. Wagner, M. S. Aber.

Purpose

The central purpose of the RBQ is to serve as a standardized, quantitative measure of actual behavioral engagement in risky activities over a specified period. It was conceived within the framework of developmental psychology to explore the nature of risk-taking during the transitionary phase of adolescence.

The instrument allows researchers to test theories regarding the motivational factors behind recklessness—such as the balance between perceived benefits (e.g., excitement, peer approval) and potential negative consequences—and to identify subpopulations at greater risk for negative health and social outcomes. The resulting total score provides a robust indicator of an individual’s general propensity toward behavioral disinhibition.

Construct

The RBQ measures the construct of Reckless Behavior, often treated synonymously with generalized Risk-Taking Behavior in the literature. Jeffrey Arnett conceptualized recklessness not necessarily as a singular pathology but as a complex behavior rooted in developmental factors, including cognitive immaturity and heightened motivation for excitement, especially among young people.

This construct is operationalized through a diverse set of real-world behaviors that universally carry significant objective risk. The items selected are designed to encompass activities ranging from minor delinquency (shoplifting) to life-threatening actions (drunk driving), thereby capturing the full spectrum of behaviors associated with a willingness to disregard safety and legal boundaries for experiential gain or sensation.

Validity

Studies examining the RBQ, particularly the detailed analysis of its structure, have provided evidence supporting its construct validity. The scale reliably demonstrates expected relationships with other established psychological measures; specifically, total RBQ scores show positive correlations with traits like Sensation Seeking, impulsivity, and measures of externalizing problems.

The instrument also possesses high face validity, as the items directly describe activities that are empirically and socially recognized as reckless or dangerous. Furthermore, the RBQ has shown predictive validity in clinical settings, successfully distinguishing groups based on documented behavioral issues, indicating that the scale accurately measures the intended domain of high-risk behavior.

Reliability

The reliability of the RBQ is primarily evidenced by its internal consistency. Across various research samples involving adolescents and young adults, the scale typically yields acceptable to good Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. This level of consistency indicates that the ten items cohere well and measure a common underlying factor of reckless behavior reliably.

While the scale is often treated as a unidimensional measure, its robust internal consistency assures researchers that the composite total score provides a stable and consistent estimate of an individual’s engagement in reckless behaviors across the different types of activities listed.

Factor Analysis

The factor structure of the RBQ was specifically investigated by Shaw, Wagner, Arnett, and Aber (1992). Their findings generally supported a primary, unitary factor structure. This suggests that the variability in responses across the ten items is largely explained by a single underlying dimension, often labeled general recklessness or risk propensity.

Although some research has occasionally identified minor subfactors (e.g., separating drug use from driving risks), the dominant interpretation and usage of the RBQ rely on the total score as a global indicator of high-risk engagement. The original PDF discussing the factor structure can be downloaded here: http://www.jeffreyarnett.com/articles/articles/ARNETT_factor_structure_of_risk_behavior.pdf.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report frequency measure

Format: 10 items scored on a 5-point Likert-type frequency scale.

Language Available: English (Primary language of development).

Population Group: Adolescents and Emerging Adults.

Age Group: Typically utilized with individuals aged 14 to 25 years.

Population Details: Used extensively in non-clinical general population samples, as well as in clinical and forensic research settings focusing on behavioral problems and substance misuse.

Test Methodology: Respondents are asked to indicate the frequency with which they have performed each of the ten behaviors over a designated time frame (e.g., the past year). Scoring is based on a frequency metric: 0 = never, 1 = Once, 2 = 2-5 times, 3 = 6-10 times, and 4 = more than 10 times.

Keywords

Reckless behavior, Risk-taking, Self-report instrument, Construct validity, Internal consistency, Developmental psychology, Jeffrey Arnett.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Contact information for researchers utilizing the scale includes: Dr Nicolas Kambouropoulos ([email protected]), Associate Professor Petra Staiger ([email protected]), and Julia Nicholls ([email protected]).

Correspondence Address: Refer to primary author, Jeffrey Arnett, for definitive correspondence.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Reckless Behavior Questionnaire (RBQ) was first presented in 1989. The scale is widely used in academic and non-commercial research settings, and typically, measures published in peer-reviewed journals by established academic researchers are available for non-commercial use, provided appropriate citation is maintained. Users seeking commercial application or definitive permission should contact the primary author, Jeffrey Arnett.

Test Year: 1989.

Reference’s

• Arnett, J. (1989, April). Understanding reckless behavior in adolescence. Paper presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Kansas City.
• Arnett, J. (1992l). Reckless Behavior in Adolescence: A Developmental Perspective. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 12, 339-373.
• Shaw, D. S., Wagner, E. F., Arnett, J., & Aber, M. S. (1992). The factor structure of the Reckless Behavior Questionnaire. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 21(3), 305- 323.
• Nicholls. J. D., (2013). The Role of Impulsivity in Co-occurring Social Anxiety and Substance Misuse. Deakin University. Doctor of Psychology thesis.

Items of the Reckless Behavior Questionnaire (RBQ)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Scoring Key: 0 = never, 1= Once, 2= 2-5 times, 3= 6-10 times, and 4 = more than 10 times.

1. Driven while under the influence of alcohol.
2. Had sex without using contraceptives (withdrawal and ha‎ving sex at a “safe” time of the menstrual cycle doesn’t count as contraception).
3. Damaged or destroyed public or private property.
4. Used marijuana.
5. Shoplifted.
6. Driven a car at over 130 kilometers per hour.
7. Had sex with someone you didn’t know well.
8. Used cocaine.
9. Driven more than 30 kilometers per hour over the speed limit.
10. Used illegal drugs other than marijuana or cocaine.