Peer feedback decreases impulsive choice in adolescents with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Jorien van Hoorn; Erik de Water; Tycho J Dekkers; Yehuda Pollak; Arne Popma; Brenda R J Jansen; Hilde M Huizenga; Anna C K van Duijvenvoorde

doi:10.1002/jcv2.12065

Peer feedback decreases impulsive choice in adolescents with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

JCPP Adv. 2022 Feb 25;2(1):e12065. doi: 10.1002/jcv2.12065. eCollection 2022 Mar.

Authors

Jorien van Hoorn^{1

2

3}, Erik de Water⁴, Tycho J Dekkers^{3

5

6

7}, Yehuda Pollak⁸, Arne Popma^{3

7}, Brenda R J Jansen^{5

9

10}, Hilde M Huizenga^{5

9

10}, Anna C K van Duijvenvoorde^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Psychology, Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands.
² Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands.
³ Levvel Academic Center for Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry Amsterdam The Netherlands.
⁴ Fraser Minneapolis Minnesota USA.
⁵ Department of Psychology University of Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry University Medical Center Groningen Groningen The Netherlands.
⁷ Department of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry Amsterdam University Medical Centers Amsterdam The Netherlands.
⁸ Seymour Fox School of Education Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel.
⁹ Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center Amsterdam The Netherlands.
¹⁰ Research Priority Area Yield Amsterdam The Netherlands.

Abstract

Background: Impulsivity is a core feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Previous work using the delay discounting task to assess impulsivity reveals that adolescents with ADHD tend to prefer a smaller-immediate reward over a larger-delayed reward, and this relates to problematic choices in daily life. To gain a better understanding of daily decision-making in adolescence, it is important to examine the social context, as peers have a major influence on decisions. Peer influence often has a negative connotation, but also provides an opportunity to promote positive outcomes. To date, it is unclear if peers affect impulsive decision-making in adolescents with ADHD, for better or for worse.

Methods: The aim of this preregistered study was to examine the effect of peer feedback on impulsive choice in male adolescents with and without ADHD (ages 13-23; N = 113). We utilized an adapted delay discounting task that was administered alone, in a social condition, and alone again. In the social condition, adolescents received either (between-subjects) manipulated impulsive or non-impulsive peer feedback. Impulsive peer feedback consisted of likes for choosing the smaller immediate reward, whereas non-impulsive peers endorsed choosing the larger delayed reward.

Results: Preregistered analyses showed that non-impulsive peer feedback resulted in decreased impulsive choice, whereas impulsive peer feedback did not alter decision-making in adolescents with and without ADHD. Explorative analyses of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms in the total sample, irrespective of diagnosis, showed that lower hyperactivity-impulsivity and more inattention symptoms were associated with increased susceptibility to non-impulsive peer feedback.

Conclusions: Together, these findings indicate that peers may provide an opportunity to decrease impulsivity and emphasize individual differences in susceptibility to non-impulsive peer feedback related to inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. Therefore, peer feedback may be a promising component in behavioral peer-supported interventions in adolescents with ADHD.

Keywords: ADHD; adolescence; impulsivity; peer feedback; social context.