Tip: Try author name, DOI (10.xxxx/…), or keywords.

ISSN (Online): 1694-4674
Annals of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Submit Manuscript
  1. Home
  2. Volume 04 (2025), Version 2
  3. Examining Brain Development and Its Impact on Decision-Making, Risk-Ta…
Original Article Open Access

Examining Brain Development and Its Impact on Decision-Making, Risk-Taking Behaviors, and Emotional Regulation Among Adolescents: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study

,
Annals of Medicine and Medical SciencesVolume 04 (2025), Version 2 March 1, 2025pp. 58 - 64
745 2,408
Download PDF
Abstract

Background and Purpose: Adolescence is marked by major changes in brain structures that lead to the development of decision-making, emotional regulation, and risk-taking behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between neurodevelopmental changes and these behaviors, with a particular focus on identifying the neurobiological and environmental factors that contribute to variations in adolescent decision-making and emotional regulation.

Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional design to investigate 12–17-year-olds. Participants were asked to fill out questionnaires related to both decision-making capacity and emotional regulation. In relation to these behaviors seeking salvation outside the self through self-destruction (via the CBCL), questions were included for clinical evaluation purposes. Cognitive task measurements and self-reports were used as indirect measures of brain development. Data analysis involved the use of descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, regression analysis, and F-value to explore how brain development correlates with behavioral outcomes.

Results: Older adolescents (aged 15–17 years) had significantly better decision-making, improved emotional regulation, and less risky behavior than younger adolescents (aged 12–14 years). Sex had no significant impact on behavior. Although SES did not significantly influence behavioral outcomes, trends suggest that adolescents from higher SES backgrounds performed better in decision-making and emotional regulation tasks.

Conclusion: The results underline the significant influence of brain maturation on adolescent behavior, particularly in the prefrontal cortex. Age-related differences have also been observed. Older adolescents displayed more mature behavior. These results underscore the importance of understanding brain development when addressing adolescent risk behaviors. Recommendations for a larger sample size and cross-sectional designs of youth with richer diversity are recommended for future research to explore this question.

References
  1. [1] Blakemore, S. J. (2022). The development of the adolescent brain: Implications for decision-making and risk-taking behavior. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 50, 100915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100915
  2. [2] Casey, B. J., Jones, R. M., & Hare, T. A. (2024). The adolescent brain. Neuropsychology Review, 34(2), 80-100. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-024-09465-1
  3. [3] Fuhrmann, D., & Blakemore, S. J. (2023). Risk-taking in adolescence: A developmental neuroscience perspective. Nature Neuroscience Reviews, 24(6), 451-463. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-023-01001-3
  4. [4] Green, M. A., & Edwards, S. M. (2025). Brain development, self-regulation, and the emergence of risk-taking behavior in adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Health, 57(1), 34-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.01.001
  5. [5] Johnson, S. R., Thompson, L. K., & Bailey, A. L. (2021). Individual differences in adolescent brain development and their implications for risky behavior. Developmental Psychology, 57(3), 523-534. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000924
  6. [6] Locke, J. A., Zippay, D., & Greene, M. T. (2022). Self-regulation in adolescence: Cognitive and emotional components of decision-making. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 51(9), 1785-1796. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-022-01549-8
  7. [7] Somerville, L. H. (2021). The adolescent brain and the pursuit of social rewards: Implications for decision-making. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(10), 763-775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.07.004
  8. [8] Steinberg, L. (2023). Adolescence and the development of decision-making: The importance of the adolescent brain. Developmental Review, 67, 100843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2023.100843
  9. [9] Casey, B. J., & Jones, R. M. (2023). Neuroscience of adolescent decision making. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 19, 25-44. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-060622-094401
  10. [10] Blakemore, S. J. (2022). Development of the social brain in adolescence. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 74, 105-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2022.01.005
  11. [11] Somerville, L. H., & Casey, B. J. (2023). Developmental neuroscience of adolescent decision-making. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 13, 75-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101201
  12. [12] Steinberg, L. (2023). Adolescence and the regulation of risk-taking. Child Development Perspectives, 17(1), 28-34. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12388
  13. [13] Romer, D., & Hennessy, M. (2022). Risk-taking in adolescence: The role of hormones and neurobiology. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 32(4), 910-922. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12653
  14. [14] Masten, A. S., & Cicchetti, D. (2024). The development of resilience in adolescence: A socio-environmental perspective. Developmental Psychology, 60(5), 1023-1036. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001065
  15. [15] Haller, S. P., & Müller, A. G. (2023). Brain development and emotional regulation in adolescents: Neural mechanisms and interventions. Cognitive Development, 59, 100800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2023.100800
  16. [16] Dahl, R. E., & Gunnar, M. R. (2022). The development of emotional regulation and its implications for adolescent behavior. Developmental Science, 25(2), e13248. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13248