Risk-Taking, Cognitive Distortions, and Their Influence on Proactive Coping in Higher Education

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between proactive coping, risk-taking, and cognitive distortions among university students. Specifically, it aimed to determine how risk-taking behaviors and cognitive distortions predict proactive coping strategies. A cross-sectional design was employed with a sample of 265 university students. Participants completed self-report measures, including the Proactive Coping Inventory (PCI), Domain-Specific Risk-Taking (DOSPERT) Scale, and the Cognitive Distortion Scale (CDS). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses to explore the relationships between the variables. Assumptions for normality, linearity, and homoscedasticity were checked and confirmed prior to analysis. Descriptive statistics indicated moderate levels of proactive coping and cognitive distortions, and relatively high levels of risk-taking among participants. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that proactive coping was positively correlated with risk-taking (r = 0.56, p < .001) and negatively correlated with cognitive distortions (r = -0.42, p < .001). Multiple regression analysis showed that risk-taking (B = 0.52, p < .001) and cognitive distortions (B = -0.37, p < .001) were significant predictors of proactive coping, explaining 45% of the variance (R² = 0.45, p < .001). The findings suggest that both risk-taking and cognitive distortions play significant roles in shaping proactive coping strategies among university students. Risk-taking positively influences proactive coping, while cognitive distortions have a detrimental effect. These insights can inform the development of targeted interventions aimed at enhancing proactive coping skills by promoting adaptive risk-taking and addressing cognitive distortions.