Jennifer L. Woolard

Age Differences in Future Orientation and Delay Discounting

Age differences in future orientation are examined in a sample of 935 individuals between 10 and 30 years using a delay discounting task as well as a new self-report measure. Younger adolescents consistently demonstrate a weaker orientation to the future than do individuals aged 16 and older, as reflected in their greater willingness to accept a smaller reward delivered sooner than a larger one that is delayed, and in their characterizations of themselves as less concerned about the future and less likely to anticipate the consequences of their decisions. Planning ahead, in contrast, continues to develop into young adulthood. Future studies should distinguish between future orientation and impulse control, which may have different neural underpinnings and follow different developmental timetables.

Age differences in affective decision making as indexed by performance on the Iowa Gambling Task.

Contemporary perspectives on age differences in risk taking, informed by advances in developmental neuroscience, have emphasized the need to examine the ways in which emotional and cognitive factors interact to influence decision making. In the present study, a diverse sample of 901 individuals between the ages of 10 and 30 were administered a modified version of the Iowa Gambling Task, which is designed to measure affective decision making. Results indicate that approach behaviors (operationalized as the tendency to play increasingly from the advantageous decks over the course of the task) display an inverted U-shape relation to age, peaking in mid- to late adolescence. In contrast, avoidance behaviors (operationalized as the tendency to refrain from playing from the disadvantageous decks) increase linearly with age, with adults avoiding disadvantageous decks at higher rates than both preadolescents and adolescents. The finding that adolescents, compared to adults, are relatively more approach oriented in response to positive feedback and less avoidant in response to negative feedback is consistent with recent studies of brain development, as well as epidemiological data on various types of risky behavior, and may have important practical implications for the prevention of adolescent risk taking.

Evaluating Adolescent Decision Making in Legal Contexts

Challenges the use by policy researchers of a model for comparing adolescent and adult decision making that is based on informed consent standards. An expanded decision-making framework designed to evaluate “judgment” in adults and adolescents can better test the empirical basis of paternalistic legal policies. The theoretical and empirical literature on the informed consent framework is critiqued and an alternative framework incorporating judgment factors is proposed. Three judgment factors—temporal perspective, attitude toward risk, and peer and parental influence—and their effects on decision making are explored. Finally, implications for future research are analyzed in several decision-making contexts.

Age, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Patterns in Early Computer Use A National Survey

Parents were interviewed about the media habits of their 6-month to 6-year-old children. For children who had used computers, linear increases in computer usage occurred across this age range with a shift from using a computer on a parent’s lapat aboutage 21/2 to autonomous computer and mouse use at about age 31/2. There were almost no gender differences in early computer patterns. Families with higher incomes and higher education levels were more likely to own computers and to have Internet access from home. Latino families were least likely to own a computer; Latino and African American families were less likely than Caucasian families to have Internet access at home. Parents perceived computers favorably for children’s learning. No relationship was found between the frequency with which children play computer games and the likelihood that they can read, but increased nongame computer use was associated with increased likelihood of reading.

Theoretical and methodological issues in studying children's capacities in legal contexts

Understanding childrens capacities in legal contexts is an urgent priority for psychology and the law. The distinction between capacity and performance is discussed in light of two research goals: (a) identifying childrens capacities relevant to law; and (b) identifying the circumstances under which their performance varies. This discussion leads to three fundamental research issues that are explored. First, in addition to general capacity, the effect of specific legal contexts on performance requires investigation. Second, capacities research must take a developmental approach using appropriate, ecologically valid target and comparison samples. Third, legal standards and their inherent developmental assumptions about childrens capacities must be operationalized and investigated from both legal and psychological perspectives.

Juveniles within Adult Correctional Settings: Legal Pathways and Developmental Considerations

An increasing number of juvenile offenders are being processed through adult correctional systems in the United States. Changing conceptions of juvenile offenders and expansions to the criteria for juvenile transfer laws have created a number of new challenges for correctional systems, policy makers and researchers. In this article, we detail the legal mechanisms that bring adolescents into the adult system. Basic profiles of juveniles in adult settings are constructed and the unique challenges posed by this population of offenders are discussed. Issues related to the safety and management of juveniles within the adult system are evaluated within a developmental framework. Finally, we examine research and policy implications that emerge when a significant number of juveniles are required to spend their formative years of adolescence in an environment designed for adults.

The promise of primary prevention home visiting programs: a review of potential outcomes.

SUMMARY Home visitation (HV) is a promising service delivery model, despite a history of mixed documented results. Compiling results on the promising family and child development outcomes in the HV literature has utility for current programs and those under development. We review traditional outcomes (e.g., child maltreatment prevention) from the literature on HV, but we also present nontraditional outcomes (e.g., community connection) that may be relevant for future evaluations. Programs that document their implementation and study their outcomes through a thoughtful, planned process may capture important and much needed information on strengthening families through HV.

Disregarding Graduated Treatment: Why Transfer Aggravates Recidivism:

These data merge correctional histories with official state and courthouse information for a sample of teenage offenders, some of whom had been transferred to the adult system. Previous research indicated that transfer aggravates recidivism after the age of 18. The correctional data allow the examination of the relationship between sanctions and recidivism for repeat offenders. The authors explored whether repeat offenders who received graduated sanctions had lower recidivism after age 18 than those who leapfrogged over graduated sanctions. Transfer often involves leapfrogging over treatment options; sometimes it leads to secure placement in adult facilities but sometimes it results in adult probation. Within the juvenile justice system, some repeat offenders jump over intermediate interventions to deep-end placements. Graduated sanctions lead to less recidivism. When measures of graduated sanctions are included in multivariate analyses, transfer no longer predicts recidivism.

Examining the Link Between Perceptions of Relationship Quality With Parole Officers and Recidivism Among Female Youth Parolees

This study explored 140 female youth parolees’ characterization of their relationships with their parole officers (PO), examined whether the quality of PO–youth relationships relate to recidivism, and explored the role of parental assistance in acquiring services during reintegration as a moderator of the link between PO–youth relationship and recidivism. Female youth perceived both an interpersonal and professionalism aspect of PO–youth relationship. The association between the interpersonal quality of PO–youth relationship and violent recidivism was strong and significant for those who had low parental assistance, but nonsignificant for those with high parental assistance. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Legal Issues Affecting Mentally Disordered and Developmentally Delayed Youth in the Justice System

This article provides a review of the ways in which the legal system affects youth with mental disorders and developmental delays. Youth who suffer from mental disorders present a special challenge to the justice system, both in terms of identification and treatment. First, a brief history of the juvenile court is provided, with a special emphasis on the conflicting missions of the court. Then, the ambiguity surrounding legal definitions of mental illness is briefly examined. Next, case and statutory laws and other legal provisions for addressing mental health issues for juveniles are reviewed for each stage of justice system processing – intake/pretrial proceedings, waiver of jurisdiction, adjudication, disposition, and treatment/monitoring of placement. Policy recommendations include a mandated right to treatment for juveniles suffering from severe mental disorders, a nd the extension of competence requirements and the insanity defense to the juvenile court. Suggestions for future research are also identified.