Background: Adolescence is one of the most challenging, stressful, attractive, and, at the same time, problematic periods of life for adolescents, as well as for their parents, teachers, and healthcare providers. The present study aims to evaluate the tendency toward high-risk behaviors and the factors associated with adolescent risk behaviors among Iranian adolescents.
Materials and Methods: In this systematic review, online databases (Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, CIVILICA, and the Google Scholar search engine) were reviewed with no time limit up to March 2023. Two reviewers evaluated the quality of eligible studies and conducted the selection procedure. The quality of the data was assessed using the STROBE guidelines.
Results: Finally, 19 studies were selected. The prevalence of high-risk behaviors in adolescents was 34.2% (range: 5.4% - 63.1%). The selected studies highlighted five forms of high-risk behaviors: hookah smoking (6.9% - 59%), cigarette smoking (10.9% - 44.1%), substance abuse (1.8% - 31.1%), sexual risk behaviors (14.5% - 41.6%), and violence (23.4%). There was a significant negative relationship between religious tendencies and the risky behaviors of students. Additionally, there was a significant relationship between age, gender, field of study, health literacy, family income, family structure, attachment to family and peers, commitment to norms, belief in moral principles, social inhibitions, and the tendency toward high-risk behaviors (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The prevalence of high-risk behaviors among adolescents is significant. The supply of tobacco products to teenagers should be prohibited. It is essential to create healthy recreational activities (such as sports and cultural competitions), develop programs, and design educational interventions to prevent risky behaviors while enhancing communication skills and self-efficacy in adolescents. Additionally, it is recommended that parents and teachers strengthen religious beliefs in adolescents.