Protocol - Laboratory Test of Risk Taking (Balloon Analogue Risk Task)
- Delayed Reward Discounting (Monetary-Choice Questionnaire)
- Disinhibiting Behaviors - Impulsivity - Adolescent and Adult
- Disinhibiting Behaviors - Impulsivity - Child
- Executive Function - Direct Assessment - Adolescent
- Executive Function - Direct Assessment - Adult
- Executive Function - Questionnaire - Adult
- Executive Function - Questionnaire - Children
- Executive Function - Questionnaire - Preschool Children
Description
The Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) is a computerized, laboratory-based test of risky behavior, which can be used with adolescents and adults. During the test, participants inflate, or pump up, a hypothetical balloon. Participants receive a certain amount of money for each pump of the balloon until it pops, at which point all money is lost. Participants can stop inflating the balloon at any point in the trial and collect the accrued money. Unlike other decision tasks that elicit choices between different discrete response options (with different scheduled penalty probabilities), the penalty probability in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task accelerates as a function of reward pursuit within the same behavioral option (such as alcohol drinking).
For more information about the Balloon Analogue Risk Task, please refer to the Cognitive Atlas Interpretation.
Specific Instructions
None
Availability
Protocol
Summary of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART)
Participants are shown a computer screen with a small balloon, a balloon pump, a box displaying money earned for the current balloon, a button to collect a monetary amount for the current balloon, and a box displaying total amount of money earned. Five cents are added to the temporary account each time participants click the pump, until the balloon pops, at which time all temporary money for that trial is lost. Participants can collect all the money in the temporary account at any time by pressing the collect money button. The number of pumps before the balloon pops is randomized across the trials. The task is completed after a total of 30 balloon trials, which are randomized as to how many pumps before the balloon pops.
Scoring
Although several summary scores can be calculated, the BART score is defined as the average number of balloon pumps that did not pop.
This program can be found at https://psyc.umd.edu/research/caper-task-downloads
Personnel and Training Required
The Balloon Analogue Risk Task can be administered by research assistants trained in the ethical and competent use of psychological tests.
Equipment Needs
The computerized version of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task requires Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 and NTFS file system, and internet connection for download and installation.
Requirements
| Requirement Category | Required |
|---|---|
| Major equipment | No |
| Specialized training | No |
| Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection | No |
| Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual | No |
Mode of Administration
Self-administered evaluation
Lifestage
Adolescent, Adult
Participants
Adults and adolescents aged 13 years or older
Selection Rationale
The Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) is a widely used task that directly assesses the propensity of the participant to take risks. Similar to real-world situations, the BART rewards risky behavior up until a point, but long-term, continued risky behavior leads to negative consequences.
Language
English
Standards
| Standard | Name | ID | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Phenotype Ontology | Risk taking | HP:0031472 | HPO |
Derived Variables
None
Process and Review
The Expert Review Panel 3 (ERP 3) reviewed the measures in Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Substances, and Substance Abuse and Addiction domains.
Guidance from ERP 3 includes:
• Link to Balloon Analogue Risk Task website updated
• Changed name of Measure
• Updated protocol
• New Data Dictionary
Back-compatible: Partially back-compatible (updated/similar protocol which would require some changes to the data dictionary), variable mapping between current and previous protocols can be found here.
Previous version in Toolkit archive (link)
Protocol Name from Source
Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART)
Source
Lejuez, C. W., Read, J. P., Kahler, C. W., Richards, J. B., Ramsey, S. E., Stuart, G. L., Strong, D. R., & Brown, R. A. (2002). Evaluation of a behavioral measure of risk taking: The Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 8, 75-84.
The Balloon Analogue Risk Task can be downloaded from the "Tasks" tab on the Center for Addictions, Personality, and Emotional Research website (Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland). https://psyc.umd.edu/research/caper-task-downloads
General References
Aklin, W. M., Lejuez, C. W., Zvolensky, M. J., Kahler, C. W., & Gwadz, M. (2005). Evaluation of behavioral measures of risk taking propensity with inner city adolescents. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 43(2), 215-228.
Fernie, G., Cole, J. C., Goudie, A. J., & Field, M. (2010). Risk-taking but not response inhibition or delay discounting predict alcohol consumption in social drinkers. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 112(12), 54-61.
Lejuez, C., Aklin, W. M., Zvolensky, M. J., & Pedulla, C. M. (2003). Evaluation of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) as a predictor of adolescent real-world risk-taking behaviours. Journal of Adolescence, 26(4), 475-479.
Skeel, R. L., Neudecker, J., Pilarski, C., & Pytlak, K. (2007). The utility of personality variables and behaviorally-based measures in the prediction of risk-taking behavior. Personality and Individual Differences, 43(1), 203-214.
White, T. L., Lejuez, C. W., & Wit, H. (2008). Test-retest characteristics of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 16(6), 565-570.
Kohno, M., Ghahremani, D.G., Morales, A.M., Robertson, C.L., Ishibashi, K., Morgan, A.T., Mandelkern, M.A., & London, E.D. (2015). Risk-taking behavior: dopamine D2/D3 receptors, feedback, and frontolimbic activity. Cerebral Cortex, 25(1), 236-45.
Ashenhurst, J.R., Bujarski, S., Jentsch, J.D., & Ray, L.A. (2014). Modeling behavioral reactivity to losses and rewards on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART): moderation by alcohol problem severity. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 22(4), 298-306.
Pleskac, T.J., Wershbale, A. (2014). Making assessments while taking repeated risks: a pattern of multiple response pathways. Journal of Experimental Psychology. General, 143(1), 142-62.
Protocol ID
530502
Variables
Export Variables| Variable Name | Variable ID | Variable Description | dbGaP Mapping | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PX530502000000 | Protocol 530502 - proprietary. Check DCW for more | N/A | ||
Measure Name
Laboratory Test of Risk Taking (Balloon Analogue Risk Task)
Release Date
November 21, 2016
Definition
This measure assesses the participant’s tolerance for exposure to risk in pursuit of a reward.
Purpose
Risk taking is a multidimensional construct defined as behavior with the potential for rewards as well as negative consequences (e.g., health or safety outcomes). In contrast to self-report measures, which capture individual aspects of risk taking, such as impulsiveness and sensation seeking, this measure is a direct assessment of risk-taking behavior. Because risk behaviors can begin in childhood and adolescence and continue into adulthood, this measure can be used to predict the emergence of potential new risk behaviors such as substance use.
Keywords
Adolescents, Adult, Balloon Analogue Risk Task, BART, Child, Decision Making, Drug Abuse, drug use, Executive Function, impulsivity, risk, Risk Taking, substance abuse, substance use, University of Maryland, SAA, Substance Use-related Neurobehavioral and Cognitive Risk Factors, computer administered
Measure Protocols
| Protocol ID | Protocol Name |
|---|---|
| 530502 | Laboratory Test of Risk Taking (Balloon Analogue Risk Task) |
Publications
There are no publications listed for this protocol.