Abstract
BackgroundAdolescence is a time of considerable social, cognitive, and physiological development. It reflects a period of heightened risk for the onset of mental health problems, as well as heightened opportunity for flourishing and resilience. The CogBIAS Longitudinal Study (CogBIAS-L-S) aims to investigate psychological development during adolescence.MethodsWe present the cohort profile of the sample (N = 504) across three waves of data collection, when participants were approximately 13, 14.5, and 16 years of age. Further, we present descriptive statistics for all of the psychological variables assessed including (a) the self-report mood measures, (b) the other self-report measures, and (c) the behavioural measures. Differential and normative stability were investigated for each variable, in order to assess (i) measurement reliability (internal consistency), (ii) the stability of individual differences (intra-class correlations), and (iii) whether any adolescent-typical developmental changes occurred (multilevel growth curve models).ResultsMeasurement reliability was good for the self-report measures (> .70), but lower for the behavioural measures (between .00 and .78). Differential stability was substantial, as individual differences were largely maintained across waves. Although, stability was lower for the behavioural measures. Some adolescent-typical normative changes were observed, reflected by (i) worsening mood, (ii) increasing impulsivity, and (iii) improvements in executive functions.ConclusionsThe stability of individual differences was substantial across most variables, supporting classical test theory. Some normative changes were observed that reflected adolescent-typical development. Although, normative changes were relatively small compared to the stability of individual differences. The development of stable psychological characteristics during this period highlights a potential intervention window in early adolescence.
Highlights
Adolescence is a time of considerable social, cognitive, and physiological development
We found an increase in Memory Bias, as participants developed more of a negative memory bias across waves
This was especially true for the self-report measures, in comparison to the behavioural measures, which showed lower stability across waves
Summary
Adolescence is a time of considerable social, cognitive, and physiological development It reflects a period of heightened risk for the onset of mental health problems, as well as heightened opportunity for flourishing and resilience. Neurodevelopmental changes are thought to occur nonlinearly, with particular protracted maturation of prefrontal regions, in comparison to subcortical limbic systems [2] This dual-systems developmental model has been linked to adolescent-typical behaviour, such as increasing levels of impulsivity and risk-taking [7, 8]. Changes in the limbic system have been linked to altered decision-making, heightened emotional responding and increased risk-taking, while protracted myelin synthesis in the pre-frontal cortex has been linked to improvements in executive functions [9] Executive functions, such as attention control, cognitive flexibility, and information processing, show considerable improvement throughout childhood and adolescence, peaking at around 15 years of age [10, 11]. These factors contribute to the understanding of adolescence as a period of increased prosocial, as well as antisocial behaviour [14]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
