Risk-taking among Mosul students: do gender and field of study matter?

Risk-Taking Behavior among Students of the College of Education for Humanities in Light of Some Variables

Background: Risk-taking behavior is a psychological and educational construct that shapes how university students approach decisions, adapt to new situations, and manage the challenges of academic life, and understanding its extent among this population has become increasingly important within local contexts marked by social and security instability. Aims: The present study sought to identify the level of risk-taking behavior among students of the College of Education for Humanities at the University of Mosul and to examine whether this behavior differs according to academic department (Arabic and English) and gender. Methods: A descriptive design was adopted, and a random sample of 100 male and female students was drawn in equal proportions from the Arabic and English departments during the academic year 2022–2023. Risk-taking behavior was measured using the 40-item scale developed by Hussein (2018), after its face validity was established and its test–retest reliability (r = 0.79) were confirmed for the present sample; data were processed using SPSS through the one-sample and independent-samples t-tests. Results: The mean score of the sample (11.67) was significantly lower than the scale’s hypothetical mean (20), indicating that students did not display a notable level of risk-taking behavior, and no statistically significant differences emerged according to academic department or gender. Conclusion: Risk-taking behavior among students of the College of Education for Humanities was generally low and was not shaped by academic specialization or gender, a pattern the study interprets in light of the social and security circumstances the local community has experienced in recent years.