Executive functioning in young delinquents: A systematic literature review

This systematic review examined the association between executive functioning and juvenile delinquency, defined as offending behavior among justice-involved youth. It also explored whether this association varies according to offence type and developmental context.

Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across PsycINFO, PsycArticles, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Studies published between 2000 and 2025 were included if they involved juvenile offenders and assessed executive functions using standardized measures. After screening and eligibility assessment, 11 empirical studies met the inclusion criteria.

Across studies, justice-involved youth showed poorer performance than controls on executive functioning tasks, particularly in inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. These deficits appeared more pronounced among youth involved in violent offending. Although executive dysfunctions were not specific to all offence types (e.g., sexual vs. non-sexual), they were consistently associated with broader difficulties in self-regulation. Several studies also indicated that adverse developmental contexts, such as exposure to trauma or family instability, may exacerbate executive deficits.

Executive functioning deficits are meaningfully associated with juvenile offending, particularly in domains related to self-regulation. However, these deficits should be understood within broader developmental and environmental contexts. Interventions targeting both cognitive processes and psychosocial factors may be particularly relevant for prevention and rehabilitation.