Objectives: There is a need to examine the utility of objective measures of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children. Objective measures of ADHD symptoms, such as physical activity, may provide a more nuanced assessment of behavior that can be used to augment traditional cross-informant ratings of ADHD symptoms by…

Executive functions (EFs) may help children to regulate their food-intake in an "obesogenic" environment, where energy-dense food is easily available. There is mounting evidence that overweight is associated with diminished hot and cool EFs, and several longitudinal studies found evidence for a predictive effect of hot EFs on children's…

Research on the role of puberty in adolescent psychological development requires attention to the meaning and measurement of pubertal development. Particular questions concern the utility of self-report, the need for complex models to describe pubertal development, the psychological significance of pubertal timing vs. tempo, and sex differences in…

Early adolescents vary in their susceptibility to peer influence on delinquency. However, it is still less clear which factors explain this variation and how these factors relate to each other. In this study, 10 factors that may moderate peer influence were investigated. A sample of 868 participants was followed across six occasions from seventh…

The purpose of this research study was to examine rates, recipients, and predictors of teen sexting. A sample of 314 high school students in an urban area of Southeast Michigan were surveyed. Males were more likely to engage in nearly all forms of sexting. Impulsivity, frequency of electronic communication, peer pressure, peer sexting, and peer…

Understanding the factors that predict excessive use of social networks in adolescence can help prevent problems such as addictive behaviours, loneliness or cyberbullying. The main aim was to ascertain the psychological and social profile of adolescents whose use of SNSS is excessive. Participants comprised 1,102 adolescents aged between 11 and 18…

Various studies found personality to be related to substance use, but little attention is paid to the role of personality risk dimensions with regard to an early onset of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use. Therefore, the current study used a variable-centered approach to examine whether anxiety sensitivity, hopelessness, sensation seeking, and…

Men are overrepresented in socially problematic behaviors, such as aggression and criminal behavior, which have been linked to impulsivity. Our review of impulsivity is organized around the tripartite theoretical distinction between reward hypersensitivity, punishment hyposensitivity, and inadequate effortful control. Drawing on evolutionary,…

This study presents evidence on the reliability and construct validity of the Dutch version of the Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory (YPI), a self-report instrument for psychopathic traits in adolescent boys and girls. In a sample of 776 Dutch non-referred adolescents, the YPI was found to have good internal consistency. Furthermore, exploratory…