D5

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVING ADOLESCENT CHOICES

Presenters: Jay Giedd with panel:  Sandra Brown, Robby Morris, John Philips, Dena Plemmons

Abstract Category: Medical

Instruction Level: Advanced

Presentation: Click Here

Description:

Case presentations and discussions by panel members from the point of view of recent research into brain development, adolescent medicine, psychology, ethics and the law.

Abstract:

Our society reserves certain privileges for people based upon their age, although the particular age varies with the particular privilege. For instance, in California you have to be 16 to drive, 18 to vote or be a soldier, 21 to drink, and 25 to rent a car. The specific ages vary from state to state and from country to country, but almost all societies have some age-based restrictions. Presumably these restrictions reflect, in part, a view that adolescent decision making capacity is not developed enough for teens to act in their own best interests or in the best interests of society. Brain imaging studies suggest that the neural circuitry involved in decision making is not identical between adolescents and adults. However, these studies reflect group average differences and there is considerable overlap between the adolescent and adult groups. Likewise, behaviorally many adolescents exhibit greater decision making skills than many adults. In this presentation I will discuss some of the potential promises and pitfalls of applying insights from neuroimaging to complex social topics such as decision making.