Executive Function, Impulsivity, and the Development of Children Delinquent Behavior

• Main Author: 林心怡
• Other Authors: Chuang Yao Chia
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2002
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/03083375961170903345

碩士 === 國立屏東師範學院 === 教育心理與輔導研究所 === 90 === The thesis explored the role of deficit of executive function and impulsivity in the development of children’s serious and chronic delinquency. Two studies were conducted. In Study 1, 50 fifth grade students from four primary schools were administered a questionnaire and a set of Executive Function Tests which included Stroop Color and Word Test, Maze Test, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Of them, 30 were rated by their teachers as delinquent students. In Study 2, thirty-one junior high school students with serious and chronic delinquency (based on the self-report and teacher’s rating of the Delinquency scale in a 3-years longitudinal study) and 29 students with low level of delinquency were administered a questionnaire and a set of Executive Function Test. In both studies, High Delinquency students group revealed more executive function deficits than did Low Delinquency students group. The differences of executive functions between two groups of junior high school students were more evident. Students with chronic delinquency tended to perform the maze task without any plan, had more errors on the Stroop test, and had more perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Deficit of executive function was not only related to more delinquent behavior. Students with more deficits of executive functions revealed also stronger impulsivity with hedonistic self-indulgence. They tended to pursue immediate gratification without taking into account future consequence. It seemed that deficit of executive function may form the basis of impulsive trait. Discriminant Analysis showed that hedonistic impulsivity assessed 3 years ago combined with two executive function tests could significantly differentiate the junior student group with chronic delinquency from low delinquency group. Both deficit of executive function and hedonistic impulsivity may contribute to persistent delinquency.