Impulsivity and inhibitory control in preadolescents and adolescents exposed to violence: a systematic review

Impulsivity, Inhibitory Control and Exposure to Violence

Abstract

Exposure to violence during development can lead to significant structural and functional changes in the brain. One of the most affected regions is the prefrontal cortex, responsible for inhibitory control and impulsivity. This systematic review aimed to identify empirical studies that investigated the effects of exposure to violence on inhibitory control and impulsivity in pre-teens and adolescents. This study followed the PRISMA guidelines, using the scientific literature indexed on the Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, PsycINFO, and PubMed databases, with no year restriction. The inclusion criteria were: empirical studies, human research including samples with preadolescents and adolescents (10-18 years old); studies involving assessment of impulsivity or inhibitory control in young people exposed to violence. The study was performed by three researchers who acted independently as judges in the blind analysis with a concordance rate of 96%. A total of 13 studies met all inclusion criteria and most of the studies presented evaluating inhibitory control and only one about impulsivity. Associations were found between exposure to violence and impairments in inhibitory control in 11 of the 13 studies, with variables involving sexual abuse indicating the most significant associations; and also between exposure to violence and a higher level of impulsivity. Study findings suggest that there is evidence that exposure to violence interferes with the ability to control the impulses of preadolescents and adolescents.