Patterns of source monitoring bias in incarcerated youths with and without conduct problems

Antisocial individuals present behaviours that violate the social norms and the rights of others. In the present study, we examine whether biases in monitoring the self-generated cognitive material might be linked to antisocial manifestations during adolescence. We further examine the association with psychopathic traits and conduct problems (CPs).

Sixty-five incarcerated adolescents (IAs; M age = 15.85, SD = 1.30) and 88 community adolescents (CAs; M age = 15.78, SD = 1.60) participated in our study. In the IA group, 28 adolescents presented CPs (M age = 16.06, SD = 1.41) and 19 did not meet the diagnostic criteria for CPs (M age = 15.97, SD = 1.20). Source monitoring was assessed through a speech-monitoring task, using items requiring different levels of cognitive effort; recognition and source-monitoring bias scores (internalising and externalising biases) were calculated.

Between-group comparisons indicate greater overall biases and different patterns of biases in the source monitoring. IA participants manifest a greater externalising bias, whereas CA participants present a greater internalising bias. In addition, IA with CPs present different patterns of item recognition.

These results indicate that the two groups of adolescents present different types of source-monitoring bias for self-generated speech. In addition, the IAs with CPs present impairments in item recognition. Future studies may examine the developmental implications of self-monitoring biases in the perseverance of antisocial behaviours from adolescence to adulthood.