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Offenders in emerging adulthood : School maladjustment, childhood adversities, and prediction of aggressive antisocial behaviors

Wallinius, Märta LU ; Delfin, Carl ; Billstedt, Eva ; Nilsson, Thomas ; Anckarsäter, Henrik LU and Hofvander, Björn LU (2016) In Law and Human Behavior 40(5). p.551-563
Abstract

Early psychosocial adversities and maladjustment, such as childhood maltreatment and school adjustment problems, have been linked to an increased risk of aggressive antisocial behaviors. Yet, clinical studies of subjects at the highest risk of persistence in such behaviors are rare, especially during the life-changing transition years of emerging adulthood. This study describes early predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors in a large, nationally representative cohort of Swedish, male violent offenders in emerging adulthood (age range = 18-25 years; N = 270). First, data on psychosocial background characteristics and aggressive antisocial behaviors (including age at onset) are provided. Second, early predictors of aggressive... (More)

Early psychosocial adversities and maladjustment, such as childhood maltreatment and school adjustment problems, have been linked to an increased risk of aggressive antisocial behaviors. Yet, clinical studies of subjects at the highest risk of persistence in such behaviors are rare, especially during the life-changing transition years of emerging adulthood. This study describes early predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors in a large, nationally representative cohort of Swedish, male violent offenders in emerging adulthood (age range = 18-25 years; N = 270). First, data on psychosocial background characteristics and aggressive antisocial behaviors (including age at onset) are provided. Second, early predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors are tested in bivariate and multivariate interactive models. The offenders demonstrated a diversity of early onset adversities and disruptive behaviors, in line with established risk factors for subsequent criminality and adverse outcomes in a variety of life domains. Severe school adjustment problems, especially bullying others and early onset truancy, were important and interrelated predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors over the lifetime, whereas childhood adversities such as parental substance or alcohol abuse and repeated exposure to violence at home during childhood were interrelated predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors, albeit with less statistical importance. The findings stress the importance of early identification of individuals in the risk zone of developing severe and persistent aggressive antisocial behaviors and of early preventive interventions directed toward families with high-risk profiles. The findings also provide initial guidelines on which psychosocial background risk factors that need to be considered first-hand in early interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Journal Article
in
Law and Human Behavior
volume
40
issue
5
pages
13 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:27243360
  • wos:000384575200007
  • scopus:84988982391
ISSN
0147-7307
DOI
10.1037/lhb0000202
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9b3b2b9a-9f50-478d-bd2c-8ffaf9445f58
date added to LUP
2016-10-04 13:00:38
date last changed
2024-04-05 07:36:38
@article{9b3b2b9a-9f50-478d-bd2c-8ffaf9445f58,
  abstract     = {{<p>Early psychosocial adversities and maladjustment, such as childhood maltreatment and school adjustment problems, have been linked to an increased risk of aggressive antisocial behaviors. Yet, clinical studies of subjects at the highest risk of persistence in such behaviors are rare, especially during the life-changing transition years of emerging adulthood. This study describes early predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors in a large, nationally representative cohort of Swedish, male violent offenders in emerging adulthood (age range = 18-25 years; N = 270). First, data on psychosocial background characteristics and aggressive antisocial behaviors (including age at onset) are provided. Second, early predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors are tested in bivariate and multivariate interactive models. The offenders demonstrated a diversity of early onset adversities and disruptive behaviors, in line with established risk factors for subsequent criminality and adverse outcomes in a variety of life domains. Severe school adjustment problems, especially bullying others and early onset truancy, were important and interrelated predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors over the lifetime, whereas childhood adversities such as parental substance or alcohol abuse and repeated exposure to violence at home during childhood were interrelated predictors of aggressive antisocial behaviors, albeit with less statistical importance. The findings stress the importance of early identification of individuals in the risk zone of developing severe and persistent aggressive antisocial behaviors and of early preventive interventions directed toward families with high-risk profiles. The findings also provide initial guidelines on which psychosocial background risk factors that need to be considered first-hand in early interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record</p>}},
  author       = {{Wallinius, Märta and Delfin, Carl and Billstedt, Eva and Nilsson, Thomas and Anckarsäter, Henrik and Hofvander, Björn}},
  issn         = {{0147-7307}},
  keywords     = {{Journal Article}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{551--563}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Law and Human Behavior}},
  title        = {{Offenders in emerging adulthood : School maladjustment, childhood adversities, and prediction of aggressive antisocial behaviors}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/21273035/13486335.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1037/lhb0000202}},
  volume       = {{40}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}