Pharo Henry, Sim Clark, Graham Mikala, Gross Julien, Hayne Harlene
Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Behav Neurosci. 2011 Dec;125(6):970-8. doi: 10.1037/a0025768. Epub 2011 Oct 17.
Adolescence is a risky business. Despite outstanding physical health, the risk of injury or death during adolescence is 2-3 times that of childhood. The primary cause of this increase in morbidity and mortality is heightened risky behavior including drinking, driving, drug-taking, smoking, and unprotected sex. Why is it that some adolescents take big risks, while others do not? One potential source of individual differences in risk-taking behavior may lie in individual differences in executive function including judgment, impulse control, self-monitoring, and planning. Researchers have hypothesized that limited brain system integration and efficiency, particularly in the prefrontal cortex and related structures, may be involved in the range and degree of risky behavior commonly exhibited by teens. In the present study, we examined the relation between risky behavior, personality factors, and performance on neuropsychological tests of executive function. The community sample of 136 adolescents aged 13- to 17-years-old and 57 emerging adults aged 18- to 22-years-old exhibited marked individual differences in risk-taking behavior; participants' scores on a alcohol, smoking, drugs, sex, driving, and antisocial behavior questionnaire ranged from 0 to near the maximum value possible. We found that risky personality and performance on the neuropsychological tests were both significant predictors of real-world risk-taking. These data have important implications for current public policies involving adolescents and emerging adults.
青春期是一段充满风险的时期。尽管青少年身体健康状况良好，但他们受伤或死亡的风险却是儿童时期的2至3倍。发病率和死亡率上升的主要原因是危险行为的增加，包括饮酒、驾车、吸毒、吸烟和无保护性行为。为什么有些青少年会冒很大的风险，而另一些人却不会呢？冒险行为个体差异的一个潜在来源可能在于执行功能的个体差异，包括判断力、冲动控制、自我监控和规划能力。研究人员推测，大脑系统整合和效率的有限，尤其是前额叶皮层及相关结构，可能与青少年普遍表现出的冒险行为的范围和程度有关。在本研究中，我们考察了冒险行为、人格因素与执行功能神经心理学测试表现之间的关系。136名13至17岁的青少年和57名18至22岁的新兴成年人组成的社区样本在冒险行为上表现出显著的个体差异；参与者在酒精、吸烟、毒品、性行为、驾车和反社会行为问卷上的得分从0到接近可能的最大值。我们发现，冒险人格和神经心理学测试表现都是现实世界中冒险行为的重要预测因素。这些数据对当前涉及青少年和新兴成年人的公共政策具有重要意义。
