Why are young people taking fewer risks?
Richard Weissbourd directs the Making Caring Common Project at Harvard.Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer Health Why are young people taking fewer risks? Psychologist describes generation overparented — but also overwhelmed by ‘frightening world’ Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer June 24, 2025 4 min read Part of the Tightrope series Exploring how risk shapes our decisions. Young people today are shying away from risky behavior such as drinking, sex, and even driving at higher rates than previous generations. While it may be tempting to point to parenting trends as the cause of these changes, psychologist Richard Weissbourd says the picture is more complex. The director of the Making Caring Common Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education points to a survey his team conducted as part of a 2023 report on mental health challenges among 18- to 25-year-olds. It found that young adults’ top worries were their financial future, pressure to achieve in school, and not knowing what to do with their lives....