Experiencing risk: the effect of the experiential life-skills centre ‘Warning Zone’ on children’s risk perception

Abstract

This study examined the psychological effects of the Warning Zone experiential life-skills centre on risk perception. The aim of Warning Zone is to educate children about dangers and risks they may encounter in everyday life, with a view to preventing injury. To evaluate changes in risk perception, a quasi-experimental study was undertaken in which children’s risk perception was measured before, after, and one month after the Warning Zone experience. This research also examined children from different types of schools, in order to assess socio-economic factors. Children’s risk perception increased significantly after Warning Zone, and this significant increase was retained one month later. Differential effects of Warning Zone were found between children from different school types, as were pre-existing differences in risk perception between these groups. Children from more deprived backgrounds had better understanding of risks prior to their visit to Warning Zone and a month later had better retained the message of Warning Zone about risks. We conclude that Warning Zone is effective at raising children’s perceptions of risk.

Keywords:

• Risk perception
• adolescents
• perception of benefit
• Warning Zone
• experiential life-skills

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Simon Wright, Richard Grudgings and everybody from Warning Zone, and also the schools, teachers, parents and children who participated in or helped to organise this research.