NCJ Number
249980
Journal
Journal of Abnormal Psychology Volume: 125 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2016 Pages: 64-74
Date Published
January 2016
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Since no studies have examined whether youth with persistent anger are at an increased risk of exhibiting antisocial personality features in adulthood, or how cognitive control abilities may protect these individuals from developing such maladaptive outcomes, this study delineated. trajectories of anger among 503 boys, using annual assessments from childhood to middle adolescence (ages 7-14).
Abstract
Associations between these trajectories and features of antisocial personality in young adulthood (age 28) were examined, including whether cognitive control moderates this association. Five trajectories of anger were identified (i.e., childhood-onset, childhood-limited, adolescent-onset, moderate, and low). Boys in the childhood-onset group exhibited the highest adulthood antisocial personality features (e.g., psychopathy, aggression, criminal charges); however, boys in this group were buffered from these problems if they had higher levels of cognitive control during adolescence. Findings were consistent across measures from multiple informants, replicated across distinct time periods, and remained when controlling for general intelligence and prior antisocial behavior. This is the first study to document the considerable heterogeneity in the developmental course of anger from childhood to adolescence. As hypothesized, good cognitive control abilities protected youth with persistent anger problems from developing antisocial personality features in adulthood. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed. (Publisher abstract modified)