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Weaker working memory in adolescents associated with unsafe sexual behavior

Weaker working memory in adolescents was associated with an increase in unsafe sexual behavior, according to a recent study published in Child Development.

The findings are consistent with previous research that suggest lower cognitive ability correlates with early sexual intercourse in adolescents.

“We extended previous findings by showing for the first time that individuals who have pre-existing weakness in working memory are more likely to have difficulties controlling impulsive tendencies in early to mid-adolescence,” Atika Khurana, PhD, assistant professor of counseling psychology and human services at the University of Oregon, said in a press release. “Furthermore, changes in impulsive tendencies are associated with early and unprotected sex in adolescents, even after taking into account parents’ socioeconomic status, involvement and monitoring of sexual behavior.”

Khurana and colleagues measured working memory — a neural system which stores goal-relevant information necessary for planning and decision making — in 360 participants from the Philadelphia Trajectory Study to determine if working memory was an independent predictor of risky sexual behavior in adolescents. Participants were aged 12 to 15 years at baseline, mostly from low- to mid-socioeconomic backgrounds.

Researchers assessed working memory at baseline using non-verbal, auditory-verbal and computerized memory tasks. Participants self-reported sexual behavior at two annual follow-ups and responded to questionnaires that measured how often participants act without thinking, seek sensation and delay gratification. Results were adjusted for baseline parental involvement and sexual behavior monitoring.

At the last follow-up, 28% of adolescents participated in vaginal intercourse and 27.5% reported not using a condom. After adjusting for virginity status, socioeconomic status and parental variables, working memory had a significant effect on sexual risk involvement (P < .001). Working memory was mainly channeled through changes in self-control, especially how often participants acted without thinking. Participants with weaker working memory had less self-control and were more likely to engage in early and unprotected sexual intercourse.

Participants who reported greater parental involvement (P < .001), monitoring (P < .06) and socioeconomic status (P < .05) were less likely to participate in unsafe sexual behavior, however working memory was independent of parental variables, according to the researchers.

“Our findings identify alternative ways to intervene preventively,” Daniel Romer, PhD, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania and lead investigator of the longitudinal project the study was based on, said in a press release. “For adolescents who have weak ability to override strong impulses, improvements in working memory may provide a pathway to greater control over risky sexual behavior. Certain parenting practices, characterized by nurturing and responsive involvement, have been shown to support the development of working memory. Interventions could aim to strengthen these types of parenting practices as well.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.