Decision Making among Adolescents

Wadiya A. Udell

Are adolescents competent decision makers? Do they have the skills necessary for good decision making? Are adolescents' decision-making processes different than adults'? These are questions society has increasingly been confronted with. From decisions regarding adolescents' reproductive health to questions of criminal responsibility, adolescents' decision making has been a topic of interest to psychologists and policymakers alike. While few would argue the need for adolescents to have good decision-making skills, considerable disagreement regarding adolescents' decision-making competency exists. The decisions people make are not only vital to their own lives but also to the society in which they live. This is most evident in democratic societies, which depend on the ability and disposition of their citizens to make intelligent decisions. As society becomes more diverse and complex, decisions once made predominantly by adults are increasingly being made by adolescents. Decisions such as whether to experiment with drugs, practice safe sex, or drop ...

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