Annenberg Public Policy Center University of Pennsylvania, 202 S. 36th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Dev Psychobiol. 2010 Apr;52(3):263-76. doi: 10.1002/dev.20442.
Individual differences in impulsivity underlie a good deal of the risk taking that is observed during adolescence, and some of the most hazardous forms of this behavior are linked to impulsivity traits that are evident early in development. However, early interventions appear able to reduce the severity and impact of these traits by increasing control over behavior and persistence toward valued goals, such as educational achievement. One form of impulsivity, sensation seeking, rises dramatically during adolescence and increases risks to healthy development. However, a review of the evidence for the hypothesis that limitations in brain development during adolescence restrict the ability to control impulsivity suggests that any such limitations are subtle at best. Instead, it is argued that lack of experience with novel adult behavior poses a much greater risk to adolescents than structural deficits in brain maturation. Continued translational research will help to identify strategies that protect youth as they transition to adulthood.
个体冲动性差异是青少年冒险行为的主要风险因素之一，而这种行为中一些最危险的形式与发展早期就明显存在的冲动特质有关。然而，早期干预似乎能够通过增加对行为的控制和对有价值目标（如教育成就）的坚持，来降低这些特质的严重程度和影响。冲动的一种形式，即寻求刺激，在青少年时期急剧上升，增加了健康发展的风险。然而，对假设的回顾表明，青春期大脑发育受限限制了控制冲动的能力，这表明任何此类限制都是微不足道的。相反，有人认为，缺乏对新的成人行为的经验对青少年的风险要比大脑成熟的结构性缺陷大得多。进一步的转化研究将有助于确定在青少年向成年期过渡时保护他们的策略。
