OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of pediatric @entity148 and its interaction with gender on reward processes. Based on the purported greater sensitivity to risk in females than males and the propensity for risk aversion in @entity148 , clinical @entity148 and female gender were hypothesized to act synergistically in reducing reward sensitivity and increasing risk aversion in a pediatric population. METHODS: This hypothesis was tested in two separate experiments using two independent samples. Both experiments compared clinically anxious with @entity245 ( @entity245 ) youth, 8-18 years. Experiment 1 used a decision-making task, the Wheel of Fortune task (WOF), to examine risk taking as a function of varying levels of risk and reward in 36 anxious and 61 @entity245 youths. Experiment 2 used an incentive delay task, the Pi  ata task, to examine sensitivity to reward and motivation to work for a reward in 38 anxious and 30 @entity245 youth. Percent bet, reaction time, and accuracy were analyzed as a function of gender and diagnostic group. RESULTS: As hypothesized, @entity148 was associated with reduced risk taking and sensitivity to reward. However, contrary to prediction, this effect was seen in males and not in females. These findings are consistent across both experiments. In experiment 1 (WOF), betting rate (i.e., risk taking) was significantly lower in anxious than in @entity245 males (F[1;53]   =   7.07, p   =   0.01), whereas anxious females did not differ from @entity245 females (F[1,42]   =   1.2, p   =   0.28). In experiment 2 (Pi  ata), @entity148 performance accuracy in males (F[1;36]   =   8.39; p   <   0.01) but not females (F[1;28]   =   0.6; p   =   0.445). CONCLUSIONS: @entity148 affected reward function differently in males and females. Contrary to hypothesis, anxious females behaved similarly to @entity245 females on both tasks. However, anxious males were significantly more risk averse and less accurate than @entity245 males. These findings suggest that therapeutic interventions for @entity148 , which use manipulations of reward processes, should consider gender for optimal outcome.

XXXX and Gender Influence Reward-Related Processes in Children and Adolescents.

@entity148 :: ('MESH:D001008', 'Disease') :: ['Anxiety', 'anxiety', 'anxiety impaired'] @entity245 :: ('MESH:D002658', 'Disease') :: ['TD', 'typically developing']
@entity148 :: (MESH:D001008,Disease) :: ['Anxiety']
