Balloon Analog Risk Task for Youth (BART-Y)
FREE for use with an Inquisit Lab or Inquisit Web license.Background
The Balloon Analogue Risk Task for Youth (BART-Y) is an adaptation of the popular Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) created in 2007 by Carl Lejuez and colleagues to assess risk-taking in adolescents. Whereas the original BART used money as a reward, the BART-Y uses a point system represented by a visual meter so as to be more appropriate and engaging for adolescents.
Task Procedure
A balloon is presented on screen along with a reward meter and two buttons enabling the participant to "Pump" the balloon or "Fill Reward Meter". With each pump, the balloon grows, and the likelihood of an explosion increases. At any point, the participant can click the fill reward button, in which case the meter increases in proportion to the number of pumps, and the next balloon is presented. If the balloon pops, no reward is given, and the next balloon is presented.
The odds of a balloon exploding with each pump are effectively the same as those of the BART. To reduce variability across participants, however, the BART-Y uses a fixed rather than randomly selected sequence of explosion points for the 30 balloons.
What it Measures
The BART-Y is a measure of risk-taking.
Psychological domains
- Risk-Taking Propensity: Willingness to assume risk (pumps) for potential reward
- Impulsivity: Tendency to act (pump) without considering consequences
- Sensation Seeking: Pursuit of novel and intense experiences (watching the balloon grow or explode)
- Sensitivity to Reward and Punishment: Adjusting behavior following gains (collect) or losses (explosions)
Main Performance Metrics
- Adjusted Average Pumps: Average number of pumps on balloons for which participants collected money (non-exploded balloons), with higher values indicating greater risk-taking
- Total Money Earned: Higher earnings indicate optimal balance of risk and reward
- Exploded Balloons: Higher numbers indicate excessive risk taking and failure to inhibit
- Post-Explosion Adjustment: Compares changes in number of pumps following exploded vs non-exploded balloons
Psychiatric Conditions
Performance on the BART-Y tends to be impaired in patients with the following psychiatric conditions:
- Substance Use Disorders (SUDs)
- Conduct Disorder (CD)
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
- Delinquency and Antisocial Behavior
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Available Test Variations
A version of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) by Lejuez et al (2007) designed for use with adolescents.
References
Search Google Scholar for peer-reviewed, published research using the Inquisit Balloon Analog Risk Task for Youth (BART-Y).
Lejuez, C. W., Aklin, W. M., Daughters, S. B., Zvolensky, M. J., Kahler, C. W., & Gwadz, M. (2007). Reliability and validity of the youth version of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART-Y) in the assessment of risk-taking behavior among inner-city adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 36, 106-111.