Age, sex, and pubertal phase influence mentalizing about emotions and actions in adolescents.
This study examined (1) emotional versus cognitive developmental trajectories and (2) the influence of age-extrinsic factors (i.e., sex and puberty). Using a cross-sectional design, adolescents (N = 252) divided into four age-groups (ages 13, 15, 17, 19) performed two versions of a mentalizing task, about emotions and actions, as well as the Tower task. First, performance on all tasks improved linearly into late adolescence (age 19). Thus no differential trajectories were found for emotional versus cognitive development. Second, girls outperformed boys in mentalizing speed regarding both emotions and actions. In boys, a later pubertal phase was associated with increased mentalizing speed after controlling for age-group.
Keulers
Esther H H
EH
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, The Netherlands. e.keulers@np.unimaas.nl
Evers
Elisabeth A T
EA
Stiers
Peter
P
Jolles
Jelle
J
D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult