A Comparison of Real and Hypothetical Computerized Delay Discounting Tasks with Matching Delay Durations and Reward Values in Typically Developing Adolescents

Delay discounting (DD) tasks involve choosing between smaller immediate rewards and larger delayed rewards aiming to assess choice impulsivity, a typical behavior in adolescence. The predominant task types are 'hypothetical' (imagined delays and rewards) and 'real' (experienced delays and real rewards). Although often considered equivalent, these tasks frequently involve different delays and rewards. Hence, it is unclear whether they assess the same cognitive abilities. Our study aimed to cross-sectionally compare performance in 'hypothetical' and 'real' computerized DD tasks with matching delays and rewards across adolescence in 69 typically developing 9 to 18-year-olds. The dependent variable was DD scores, measured by the area under the curve (AUC) (higher AUC indicates lower impulsivity) with age as a continuous predictor. We found that the DD performance improved with age in the ‘real’ task, better described as a curvilinear than linear pattern that peaked between 14-17 years, possibly due to increased reward sensitivity. Performance on the 'hypothetical' task did not change with age and, overall, was higher, suggesting that adolescents, especially younger ones, overestimate their ability to wait for hypothetical rewards. Hence, in adolescents, 'hypothetical' and 'real' tasks lead to different results even when the delay duration and reward magnitudes are matched.