Social learning theory posits that adolescents learn to adopt social norms by observing the behaviors of others and internalizing the associated outcomes. However, the underlying neural processes by which social learning occurs is less well-understood, despite extensive neurobiological reorganization and a peak in social influence sensitivity during adolescence. Forty-four adolescents (Mage = 12.2 years) completed an fMRI scan while observing their older sibling within four years of age (Mage = 14.3 years) of age complete a risky decision-making task. Group iterative multiple model estimation (GIMME) was used to examine patterns of directional brain region connectivity supporting social learning. We identified group-level neural pathways underlying social observation including the anterior insula to the anterior cingulate cortex and mentalizing regions to social cognition regions. We also found neural states based on adolescent sensitivity to social learning via age, gender, modeling, differentiation, and behavior. Adolescents who were more likely to be influenced elicited neurological up-regulation whereas adolescents who were less likely to be socially influenced elicited neurological down-regulation during risk-taking. These findings highlight patterns of how adolescents process information while a salient influencer takes risks, as well as salient neural pathways that are dependent on similarity factors associated with social learning theory.
Collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles are one of the leading risk factors for injury and death in childhood and adolescence. We examined longitudinal and concurrent effortful control (EC) as predictors of risky bicycling behavior in early- to mid-adolescence, with age and gender as moderators. We also examined whether EC was associated with parent-reported real-world bicycling behavior and all lifetime unintentional injuries.
Parent-reported EC measures were collected when children (N = 85) were 4 years old and when they were either 10 years (N = 42) or 15 years (N = 43) old. We assessed risky bicycling behavior by asking the adolescents to bicycle across roads with high-density traffic in an immersive virtual environment. Parents also reported on children’s real-world bicycling behavior and lifetime unintentional injuries at the time of the bicycling session.
We found that both longitudinal and concurrent EC predicted adolescents’ gap choices, though these effects were moderated by age and gender. Lower parent-reported early EC in younger and older girls predicted a greater willingness to take tight gaps (3.5 s). Lower parent-reported concurrent EC in older boys predicted a greater willingness to take gaps of any size. Children lower in early EC started bicycling earlier and were rated as less cautious bicyclists as adolescents. Adolescents lower in concurrent EC were also rated as less cautious bicyclists and had experienced more lifetime unintentional injuries requiring medical attention.
Early measures of child temperament may help to identify at-risk populations who may benefit from parent-based interventions.
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10480833
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Pediatric Psychology
- Volume:
- 49
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0146-8693
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 142-151
- Size(s):
- ["p. 142-151"]
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
more » « less
Abstract -
more » « less
Background Early‐onset (3–8 years old) disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) have been linked to a range of psychosocial sequelae in adolescence and beyond, including delinquency, depression, and substance use. Given that low‐income families are overrepresented in statistics on early‐onset DBDs, prevention and early‐intervention targeting this population is a public health imperative. The efficacy of Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) programs such as Helping the Noncompliant Child (HNC) has been called robust; however, given the additional societal and structural barriers faced by low‐income families, family engagement and retention barriers can cause effects to wane with time. This study extends preliminary work by examining the potential for a Technology‐Enhanced HNC (TE‐HNC) program to improve and sustain parent skill proficiency and child outcomes among low‐income families.
Methods A randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms was the design for this study. A total of 101 children (3–8‐years‐old) with clinically significant problem behaviors from low‐income households were randomized to HNC (
n = 54) or TE‐HNC (n = 47). Participants were assessed at pre‐treatment, post‐treatment, 3‐month, and 6‐month follow‐ups. Primary outcomes were parent‐reported and observed child behavior problems. Secondary outcomes included observed parenting skills use (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02191956).Results Primary analyses used latent curve modeling to examine treatment differences in the trajectory of change during treatment, maintenance of treatment gains, and levels of outcomes at the 6‐month follow‐up. Both programs yielded improvements in parenting skills and child problems at post‐treatment. However, TE‐HNC families evidenced greater maintenance of parent‐reported and observed child behavior and observed positive parenting skills at the 6‐month follow‐up.
Conclusions Our findings contribute to an ongoing line of work suggesting that technology‐enhanced treatment models hold promise for increasing markers of engagement in BPT and sustaining long‐term outcomes among low‐income families.
-
more » « less
Although parenting behavior and friendship quality predict adolescent externalizing behaviors (
EB s), individual differences in temperament may differentially affect susceptibility to these factors over time. In a multi‐method and multi‐informant study of 141 children followed prospectively from toddlerhood to adolescence, we tested the independent and interactive associations of age 3 reactive temperament (e.g., negative emotionality) and age 13 observed parenting (i.e., positive and negative behavior) and friendship (i.e., conflict and warmth), with multi‐informant ratings of age 15 aggression and rule‐breaking behavior. Negative parenting predicted growth in parent‐ratedEB , but only for adolescents with early reactive temperament. Temperament did not affect sensitivity to positive parenting or friendship. Results are discussed in the context of differential susceptibility theory and intervention implications for adolescents. -
more » « less
Peer relationships and social belonging are particularly important during adolescence. Using a willingness-to-work paradigm to quantify incentive motivation, we examined whether evaluative information holds unique value for adolescents. Participants ( N = 102; 12–23 years old) rated peers, predicted how peers rated them, and exerted physical effort to view each peer’s rating. We measured grip force, speed, and opt-out behavior to examine the motivational value of peer feedback, relative to money in a control condition, and to assess how peer desirability and participants’ expectations modulated motivated effort across age. Overall, when compared with adolescents, adults were relatively less motivated for feedback than money. Whereas adults exerted less force and speed for feedback when expecting rejection, adolescents exerted greater force and speed when expecting to be more strongly liked or disliked. These findings suggest that the transition into adulthood is accompanied by a self-protective focus, whereas adolescents are motivated to consume highly informative feedback, even if negative.
-
more » « less
Abstract The fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are rife with inequalities and under‐representation that have their roots in childhood. While researchers have focused on gender and race/ethnicity as two key dimensions of inequality, less attention has been paid to wealth. To this end, and drawing from the Social Reasoning Development approach, we examined children's and adolescents’ perceptions of STEM ability and access to opportunities as a function of wealth, as well as their desire to rectify such inequalities. Participants (
n = 234: early childhood,n = 70, mean age = 6.33, SD = .79; middle childhood,n = 92, mean age = 8.90, SD = .83 and early adolescence,n = 62, mean age = 12.00; SD = 1.16) in the U.K. (64% White British) and U.S. (40% White/European American) read about two characters, one high‐wealth and one low‐wealth. In early childhood, participants reported that the high‐wealth character would have greater STEM ability and were just as likely to invite either character to take part in a STEM opportunity. By middle childhood, participants were more likely to report equal STEM abilities for both characters and to seek to rectify inequalities by inviting the low‐wealth character to take part in a STEM opportunity. However, older participants reported that peers would still prefer to invite the high‐wealth character. These findings also varied by ethnic group status, with minority status participants rectifying inequalities at a younger age than majority status participants. Together these findings document that children are aware of STEM inequalities based on wealth and, with age, will increasingly seek to rectify these inequalities.
