Risk tolerance may act as an important role in shaping health sensation-seeking behaviors (i.e., smoking and drinking). When risk tolerance (in the seven domains: driving, finance, occupation, health, faith, relationship, and life change) is included in regression models for the relationship between family income and smoking/drinking behavior, as a partial mediator, the income effect was changed. This result means that risk tolerance mediates the income effect on smoking/drinking behavior. When viewed this way, risk tolerance may be more important than income in relation to sensation-seeking behavior. It is possible that risk tolerance may also be the pathway to help the client decrease in smoking/drinking activities. This change should result in improved financial situations as well as their health problem by reducing the cost of alcohol and tobacco use.
