EEG (ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM) STUDY OF DELINQUENT AND NONDELINQUENT ADOLESCENTS

• NCJ Number: 56738
• Journal: Archives of General Psychiatry Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: (AUGUST 1966) Pages: 144-150
• Author(s): J M WIENER; J G DELANO; D W KLASS
• Date Published: 1966
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: American Medical Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG) READINGS FOR DELINQUENT AND NONDELINQUENT ADOLESCENT MALES ARE COMPARED.

Abstract

STUDY SUBJECTS, ALL HEALTHY MALES AGED 13 TO 18 YEARS, INCLUDED 66 VOLUNTEERS FROM A STATE TRAINING SCHOOL, 14 NONINSTITUTIONALIZED YOUTHS WITH A HISTORY OF PERSISTENT ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR, AND 70 AGE-MATCHED CONTROLS WITH NO HISTORY OF BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS. NONE OF THE SUBJECTS HAD ANY SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, OR HISTORY OF ORGANIC BRAIN DISTURBANCE OR MENTAL RETARDATION. CONTRARY TO THE FINDINGS OF SOME OTHER STUDIES, THE EEG READINGS FOR DELINQUENTS AND NONDELINQUENTS WERE SIMILAR. NEITHER SLOW NOR 'POSITIVE SPIKING' BRAIN WAVE ACTIVITY WAS MORE PREVALENT IN DELINQUENTS THAN IN NONDELINQUENTS. CERTAIN DIFFERENCES IN EEG ACTIVITY FOUND BETWEEN SUBJECTS AGED 13 TO 14 AND THOSE AGED 17 TO 18 PROBABLY REFLECT THE MATURATION PROCESS. TWO INCIDENTAL FINDINGS ARE WORTHY OF NOTE: POSITIVE SPIKING OCCURRED IN THE EEG'S OF TWO BROTHERS, BOTH NONDELINQUENTS, AND IN THE EEG'S OF IDENTICAL TWINS, ONE DELINQUENT AND THE OTHER NONDELINQUENT. THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED IN LIGHT OF OTHER EEG RESEARCH. SUPPORTING DATA, ILLUSTRATIONS OF EEG CHARTS, AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)