Premium
Annual Research Review: Neural contributions to risk‐taking in adolescence – developmental changes and individual differences
Author(s) -
Crone Eveline A.,
Duijvenvoorde Anna C. K.,
Peper Jiska S.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/jcpp.12502
Subject(s) - psychology , developmental psychology , juvenile delinquency , conduct disorder , developmental psychopathology , clinical psychology , psychopathology
Background Risk‐taking, which involves voluntary choices for behaviors where outcomes remain uncertain, undergoes considerable developmental changes during childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. In addition, risk‐taking is thought to be a key element of many externalizing disorders, such as ADHD , delinquency, conduct disorder, and substance abuse. In this review, we will discuss the potential adaptive and nonadaptive properties of risk‐taking in childhood and adolescence. Findings We propose that the changes in brain architecture and function are a crucial element underlying these developmental trajectories. We first identify how subcortical and cortical interactions are important for understanding risk‐taking behavior in adults. Next, we show how developmental changes in this network underlie changes in risk‐taking behavior. Finally, we explore how these differences can be important for understanding externalizing behavioral disorders in childhood and adolescence. Conclusions We conclude that longitudinal studies are of crucial importance for understanding these developmental trajectories, and many of these studies are currently underway.