title: Differential association of child abuse with self-reported versus laboratory-based impulsivity and risk-taking in young adulthood.
abstract: Young adults (ages 18-26) with (n = 20) and without (n = 55) a history of child abuse (CA) completed self-report and laboratory-based measures of impulsivity and risk-taking. Relative to individuals without abuse histories, individuals with a history of CA self-reported a greater number of lifetime sexual partners as well as elevated trait impulsivity (specifically, elevated lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance). No group differences were observed for self-reported safety-related behaviors and risk-taking propensity. Notably, however, laboratory-based measures suggested that individuals with a history of CA showed significantly less impulsivity and risk-taking than individuals without abuse histories. These results suggest that self-report and laboratory measures of risk-taking and impulsivity measured in emerging adulthood may differentially relate to CA. Specifically, whereas laboratory-based measures may be influenced by hypervigilance or in the moment actions, self-report measures may assess more general behaviors related to real-world impulsivity and risk-taking.
authors.affiliation: Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Ayesha C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sujan
authors.affiliation: Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA k.humphreys@ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Kathryn L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Lara A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Steve S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012309:Risk-Taking; D057566:Self Report; D012747:Sexual Partners; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: child abuse; impulsivity; risk-taking