Abstract

The literature indicates that adolescents with delinquent behavior have greater difficulty making rational decisions and show lower emotional intelligence and empathy. Decision-making is a set of complex processes associated with neurobiological, cognitive, emotional, and social factors which help regulate and guide behavior, which could be influenced by emotional intelligence and empathy. A comparative, correlational, and predictive study was conducted to analyze relationships and influence of emotional intelligence and empathy in decision-making styles in adolescent offenders and non-offenders. 808 Colombian adolescents between 14 and 18 years of age participated (50% offenders). The results indicated significant differences in emotional attention, perspective taking, fantasy, empathic concern, vigilance, and hypervigilance. Emotional repair and perspective taking were identified as favoring rational decision-making. Additionally, emotional attention and personal distress were found to influence hypervigilance, buck-passing, and procrastination. The importance of intervening in emotional intelligence and empathy to favor decision-making styles in adolescents is discussed.