The components of attention and cognitive flexibility in juvenile delinquents

Jorge Borrani, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Martha Frías, Universidad de Sonora, División de Ciencias Sociales, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Brayan Alemán, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Carlos Gallegos, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Candelaria Ramírez, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Aída García, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Pablo Valdez, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the components of attention and the cognitive flexibility of juvenile delinquents. Methods: These processes were assessed through a continuous performance task and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test in three groups (n = 29 each) of males (17.46 ± 1.60 years old): a juvenile delinquent inmate group (JDG), an age-paired group (APG), and an age- and education-paired group (AEPG), since juvenile delinquents had an average of 7.5 years of education. Family violence, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms, drug use, and socioeconomic status (SES) were also recorded through questionnaires. Results: Juvenile delinquents, compared to non-delinquents, had less correct responses on tonic alertness, the capacity to respond to stimuli in general. The JDG reported more family violence and more ADHD symptoms than non-delinquents. Low-education groups (JDG, AEPG) had less correct responses in the other components of attention, and more perseverative responses (index of cognitive flexibility), as well as lower SES and more drug use compared to the APG. Such deficits in cognitive performance seem to relate to education, not legal status. Conclusions: Juvenile delinquents have deficits in tonic alertness, a basic component of attention that could impact their school and work performance, which had never been reported in this population before; they also experience more family violence and report more ADHD symptoms.

Keywords: Juvenile delinquents. Adolescents. Executive functions. Attention.