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Updated: May 29, 2026
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Measuring Delay Discounting in Humans Using an Adjusting Amount Task
Published on: January 9, 2016
Delay discounting by adolescents experimenting with cigarette smoking
Brady Reynolds1, Sherecce Fields
1Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 43205, USA. Reynolds.421@osu.edu
Addiction (Abingdon, England)
|September 13, 2011
Summary
Adolescent cigarette experimenters exhibit greater delay discounting and impulsivity, similar to regular smokers. These behaviors are more pronounced in young smokers compared to never-smokers.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral psychology
- Adolescent health
- Substance use research
Background:
- Adolescent smoking is a significant public health concern.
- Understanding the psychological factors associated with smoking initiation is crucial for prevention.
- Delay discounting and impulsivity are cognitive traits linked to risk-taking behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare delay discounting and self-reported impulsivity in adolescent cigarette experimenters, never-smokers, and daily smokers.
- To investigate the relationship between smoking status and these behavioral tendencies in youth.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design involving 141 adolescents (mean age 15.37 years).
- Assessment of delay discounting using a computerized task.
- Measurement of impulsivity via the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-adolescent (BIS-11-A).
- Verification of smoking status using breath carbon monoxide and urinary cotinine levels.
Main Results:
- Adolescent smokers demonstrated significantly higher delay discounting and impulsivity scores than non-smokers.
- Experimenters showed intermediate scores, with some significant differences compared to non-smokers but not regular smokers.
- These findings suggest a continuum of these traits across smoking behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Adolescents experimenting with cigarettes share similar tendencies for delay discounting and impulsivity as regular smokers.
- These cognitive and behavioral traits are generally elevated in young people who smoke compared to those who do not.
- Findings highlight the importance of addressing impulsivity and future-oriented decision-making in adolescent smoking prevention efforts.
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