The Contribution of Level of Cognitive Complexity and Pubertal Timing to Behavioral Risk in Young Adolescents
Abstract
Purpose To determine the unique contributions of cognitive complexity and pubertal timing to participation in behavioral risk (substance use, sexual activity, school and legal problems) among young adolescents. Design Cross-sectional with cohort replication. Methods Two cohorts of middle school students in grades eight and nine in a midwestern school district completed a self-report questionnaire in 1987 and 1989. Measures of behavioral and emotional risk, cognitive complexity and pubertal timing relative to peers were included. Results Complete data were available for 817 and 796 students in each cohort year. Gender, race, level of cognitive complexity and pubertal timing each contributed significantly to the variance in behavioral risk independent of chronological age (P Implications Pediatricians should consider adolescents at lower levels of cognitive complexity (concrete thinking) and those who begin puberty earlier at greater risk for participation in health risk behaviors. Preventive health counseling tailored to the needs of this group may be most beneficial.
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Adolescent brain development may explain characteristic adolescent traits such as mood swings, impulsivity, risk taking, and peer-directed social interactions.
“Thereby, brain development may be responsible for characteristic adolescent traits—uncontrollable mood swings, impulsivity, risk taking, and peer-directed social interactions (Orr and Ingersoll 1995; Spear 2000; Galvan et al. 2007).”
From Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Nicotine Exposure during Adolescence for Prefrontal Cortex Neuronal Network Function (2012) · cites this paper as Orr and Ingersoll 1995
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“Thereby, brain development may be responsible for characteristic adolescent traits—uncontrollable mood swings, impulsivity, risk taking, and peer-directed social interactions (Orr and Ingersoll 1995; Spear 2000; Galvan et al. 2007).”
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“characteristic traits of adolescence (Goriounova and Mansvelder, 2012a), such as mood swings, impulsivity, risk-taking, and susceptibility to peer influence in social behavior (Orr and Ingersoll, 1995; Spear, 2000; Galvan et al., 2006).”
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“Developmental theory explains why this is not possible; yet the literature is inundated by studies that disregard this fundamental aspect of the problem (Orr & Ingersoll, 1995).”
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“As adolescents become more cognitively complex, they start to be able to plan ahead, understand the long-term consequences of behaviors, engage in less negative behavior, resist peer pressure better, and appreciate the interrelations between behaviors and emotions (Orr and Ingersoll 1995).”
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“Conversely, delayed puberty may constitute a protective factor against substance use and misuse (Orr and Ingersoll 1995; Waylen and Wolke 2004).”
Background
- Authors
- Orr, D. P., & Ingersoll, G. M.
- Affiliations
- Indiana University Indianapolis (US)
- ORCID
- Orr, Donald P.
- Venue
- Pediatrics
- Publisher
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- Published
- 1995-04-01
- Volume
- 95
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 528-533
- ISSN
- 0031-4005 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-4275
- OpenAlex
- W1952294136
- Cited by
- 55
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 5.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- PEDIATRICS (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Public Health Service (MCJ 189596)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Adolescent Health and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- cognitive complexity, pubertal timing, adolescent risk behavior, substance use, adolescent sexual activity, school problems, legal issues, concrete thinking, gender differences, racial differences, peer comparison
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Age Factors, Cognition, Cross-Sectional Studies, Ethnicity, Female, Humans, Male, Puberty, Risk-Taking, Thinking, Cohort Studies
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