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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Adolesc Health. 2020 Dec 4;69(1):17–25. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.10.007

Table 2.

Critical Gaps and Key Questions for Behavioral Economics and Adolescent and Young Adult Health

Critical Gaps Key Questions for Future Study
Timing of applicability of behavioral economics phenomena in adolescence and young adulthood

  • At what pubertal stage do behavioral economics phenomena become effective?

  • How does the potential strength of behavioral economics phenomena differ by developmental stage in adolescence and young adulthood?
Comparative strength of behavioral economics phenomena in AYA

  • For a given behavior (e.g., physical inactivity), which behavioral economics phenomena or combination of phenomena result in the greatest behavior change among AYAs?

  • How do AYAs differ in their response to interventions informed by behavioral economics compared to older adult populations?
Ethical considerations for applying behavioral economics within AYA populations

  • As AYAs gain autonomy in health-related decisions, which behavioral economics nudges are ethically acceptable?

  • How should families and other stakeholders be included in interventions informed by behavioral economics for AYAs?