Measuring Executive Function Deficits in Male Delinquents Using the Cognitive Assessment System

• NCJ Number: 220607
• Journal: Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 44 Issue: 4 Dated: 2007 Pages: 43-63
• Author(s): Richard A. Enns; John R. Reddon; J.P. Das; Helen Boukos
• Date Published: 2007
• Length: 21 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined executive functions of adolescent male offenders using the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS), and identified specific executive function deficits regardless of age-of-onset of antisocial behaviors.

Abstract

The study results identified significant executive function deficits in individuals who began to engage in antisocial and delinquent behaviors in adolescence and provided a clearer picture of the neuropsychological status of adolescents with relatively benign childhood histories but significant anti-social behavior with serious criminal activity beginning in adolescence. Verbal and executive functions deficits have consistently been identified in delinquent adolescents. This study used a measure designed to evaluate performance on executive tasks and detected significant executive function deficits in one sample of adolescents that began to engage in antisocial and delinquent behaviors only in adolescence; their resemblance to individuals in the childhood-onset group on a number of domains might indicate that they are equally at risk for prolonged antisocial and criminal behaviors. Mean scores for the sample were significantly lower than norms on CAS measures of planning, attention, and successive processing; deficits remained for individuals with a childhood onset when the sample was divided by age-of-onset for antisocial behaviors. Mean scores for individuals with adolescent-onset antisocial behaviors were significantly below norms for planning, successive processing, and full scale composite. The data were collected from a sample of 111 adolescent male offenders who had been charged with criminal offenses; many had convictions on a list of offenses that included assaults, property offenses, homicides, motor vehicle infractions, and failure to comply with orders of the court. Strengths and limitations of the study are discussed in detail. Tables, references