Risk-Taking Patterns of Children, Associated Cognitive Weaknesses, and Prevention of Negative Outcomes

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.

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.

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).

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.