AI Article Synopsis

  • * The study found that these young offenders had a weaker stress response (called cortisol reaction), which might make them more likely to take risks while driving.
  • * The research suggests that understanding the stress response in these teens could help explain why they engage in risky driving behavior.

Article Abstract

Adolescent risky driving is a significant burden on public health. Young offenders (i.e. under custody and supervision of the criminal justice system) may be particularly vulnerable, but research is scant. Previous work indicated that blunted cortisol reactivity to stress is a marker of risk-taking predisposition, including risky driving. In this study, we hypothesized that young offenders display higher levels of risky driving than a non-offender comparison group, and that cortisol reactivity contributes to the variance in risky driving independent of other associated characteristics (i.e. impulsivity, risk taking, alcohol and drug use). We found that young offenders (n = 20) showed riskier driving in simulation than comparison group (n = 9), and blunted cortisol reactivity was significantly associated with risky driving. The results suggest young offenders are prone to risky driving, and that individual differences in the cortisol stress response may be an explanatory factor.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2017-0123DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

risky driving
28
young offenders
20
cortisol reactivity
16
blunted cortisol
12
driving
8
driving young
8
comparison group
8
risky
7
young
5
offenders
5

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!