NCJ Number
126737
Journal
Criminology Volume: 28 Issue: 4 Dated: (November 1990) Pages: 507-533
Date Published
1990
Length
27 pages
Annotation
Using a systematic, longitudinal investigation of a complete birth cohort, this study examines whether predictors of adolescent antisocial conduct disorders can be detected as early as preschool age and whether those predictors are also strong predictors of adolescent delinquency. The only variables discussed are characteristics of the child.
Abstract
Psychological, social, and physical data were collected on over 1000 children born between April 1982 and March 1973 in New Zealand. Approximately 2 percent of the cohort were from Maori and Polynesian background; the remainder were of European background. The measures used include the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, Rutter Child Scales A and B, Revised Behavior Problem Checklist, and the Self-Report Early Delinquency. An individual is considered antisocial disordered by presenting criterion symptoms at age 11, exhibiting stability of this disorder across childhood, and exhibiting pervasiveness of the disorder across multiple raters. The results indicate that, while early antisocial behavior, manifested as early as age three, is a good predictor of later antisocial behavior, the high rate of false positive results precludes it as sole predictor of adolescent delinquency. Two motor variables are unexpected predictors, perhaps because they indicate possible hyperactivity. Further research is needed to determine whether the predictive use of behavioral variables may be improved when used in conjunction with variables from other domains measured during the preschool period. 7 tables, 60 references, and 1 appendix