@article{ref1,
title="Risk-taking patterns of children, associated cognitive weaknesses, and prevention of negative outcomes",
journal="Psychiatric research and clinical practice",
year="2020",
author="Imal, Ahmet Esat and O'Leary, Sean and Wexler, Bruce E.",
volume="2",
number="1",
pages="34-40",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: Accidents, drug use, and unsafe sex associated with greater propensity for risk-taking are leading causes of illness and death among adolescents. This study aimed to help identify and further characterize children with maladaptive risk-taking to improve primary prevention interventions. <br><br>METHODS: Two scores from the Bubblegum Analog Risk-Taking Task for Children (BART-C), total points and average inflations of unpopped bubbles, were used in a cluster analysis to identify distinct patterns of risk-taking among 6,267 kindergarten through eighth-grade children. Clusters were compared with the Flanker Test of Focused Attention, the Go/No-Go test of inhibition, and the List Sorting Working Memory Test. <br><br>RESULTS: Both BART-C scores made significant (p<0.001) contributions in defining three clusters of children: reckless, risk avoidant, and adaptive risk-taking. Clusters differed significantly on Flanker Test measures of incongruent accuracy (p=0.004) and reaction time (p<0.001), Go/No-Go inhibition (p=0.001), and List Sorting Working Memory Test scores (p<0.001). The reckless cluster had lower Flanker accuracy and Go/No-Go inhibition than did the other groups and lower working memory than the adaptive risk-taking group. Compared with adaptive risk-takers, the risk-avoidant group was slower (p<0.001), showed a nonsignificant trend toward greater accuracy on the Flanker test, and had lower working memory scores (p<0.001). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The BART-C defined two maladaptive risk-taking clusters: reckless and risk avoidant. Significant differences in cognitive function between these groups and the adaptive risk-taking group provides external validation of and further characterizes the clusters. Early intervention may prevent future health-compromising behaviors among reckless children and may promote fuller learning and development among risk-avoidant children.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2575-5609",
doi="10.1176/appi.prcp.2020.20190020",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.prcp.2020.20190020"
}