Weaker working memory associated with risky sexual activity
A new study by an Indian American researcher shows that weaker working memory can add to the risk of early sexual activity and also unprotected sexual involvement during adolescence.
Working memory is the system in the brain by help of which, individuals use information to plan and make decisions. This memory develops through childhood and adolescence.
Adolescents with weaker working memory find it more difficult to control their impulsive urges and think about the consequences of their behaviors. Adolescents, who face difficulty related to impulse control, may have more chances of facing risky sexual behaviour.
According to lead author Atika Khurana, assistant professor of counseling psychology and human services at the University of Oregon, they have extended previous findings as they showed for the first time that individuals, who suffer from pre-existing weakness in working memory, have more chances of facing difficulty in controlling impulsive tendencies in early to mid-adolescence.
According to Dan Romer, research director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, "Our findings identify alternative ways to intervene preventively. For adolescents who have weak ability to override strong impulses, improvements in working memory may provide a pathway to greater control over risky sexual behaviour".
This study has been published in the journal Child Development. The study was conducted on 360 adolescents (ages 12 to 15) for two years; the researchers examined the impacts of working memory on changes in the youth's sexually risky behavior and self-control.
It was found in the study that youth with weaker working memory had larger increases in impulsive tendencies over the study period and it leads to increased likelihood of early and unprotected sexual activity.