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University of New Hampshire
Psychology
2002
Mentor: Dr. Amy Odum, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Impulsivity in Individuals Growing up in Single-Parent Households
Adolescents who grew up in single-parent households show a higher rate of delinquency. Furthermore, impulsivity is a personality trait encountered in juvenile delinquents. This study attempts to determine the prevalence of impulsivity in young adults raised in single-parent households. Twenty (20) participants raised in single-parent families were tested and compared to twenty (20) participants from two-parent families. The participants were administered a delay discounting task, which presents choices between an immediate smaller reward and a larger delayed reward. They also filled out the Barratt impulsivity scale, which is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure impulsivity.