Risk-taking, peer-influence and child maltreatment: A neurocognitive investigation

Maltreatment is associated with increased risk of a range of psychiatric disorders, many of which are characterized by altered risk-taking propensity. Currently, little is known about the neural correlates of risk-taking in children exposed to maltreatment, nor whether their risk-taking is atypically modulated by peer influence. Seventy-five 10-14 year-old children (maltreated (MT) group: N = 41; non-maltreated Group (NMT): N = 34) performed a Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART), under three different peer influence conditions: while alone; while being observed by a peer; while being encouraged by a peer to take risks. The MT group engaged in less risk-taking irrespective of peer influence. There was no differential effect of peer influence on risk-taking behaviour across groups. At the neural level the right anterior insula (rAI) exhibited altered risk-sensitivity across conditions in the MT group. Across groups and conditions, rAI risk-sensitivity was negatively associated with risk-taking and within the MT group greater rAI risk-sensitivity was related to more anxiety symptoms. These findings suggest that children with a history of maltreatment show reduced risk-taking but typical responses to peer influence. Abnormal rAI functioning contributes to the pattern of reduced risk-taking and may predispose children exposed to maltreatment to develop future psychopathology