TY - JOUR
T1 - Age, sex, and pubertal phase influence mentalizing about emotions and actions in adolescents
AU - Keulers, E.H.H.
AU - Evers, E.A.T.
AU - Stiers, P.
AU - Jolles, J.
PY - 2010/1/1
Y1 - 2010/1/1
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
U2 - 10.1080/87565641.2010.494920
DO - 10.1080/87565641.2010.494920
M3 - Article
SN - 8756-5641
VL - 35
SP - 555
EP - 569
JO - Developmental Neuropsychology
JF - Developmental Neuropsychology
IS - 5
ER -