NCJ Number
55009
Journal
American Journal of Psychiatry Volume: 136 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1979) Pages: 288-292
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
MEDICAL HISTORIES OF DELINQUENT CHILDREN WITH CRIMINAL OR PSYCHIATRICALLY-IMPAIRED PARENTS WERE STUDIED THROUGH CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS (MEASURES OF PARENTAL CRIMINALITY AND MEDICAL STATUS).
Abstract
THE INVESTIGATION OF THE POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SEVERE PARENTAL MALADAPTATION AND MEDICAL PROBLEMS IN DELINQUENT CHILDREN RESULTED FROM THE CLINICAL OBSERVATION THAT MANY DELINQUENT CHILDREN OF CRIMINAL OR PSYCHIATRICALLY-IMPAIRED PARENTS HAVE ADVERSE HEALTH HISTORIES. DELINQUENT CHILDREN OF SERIOUSLY DISTURBED PARENTS ALSO MADE MANY VISITS TO HOSPITALS FOR A VARIETY OF APPARENTLY MINOR ILLNESSES, AS WELL AS FOR ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES. A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 109 DELINQUENT CHILDREN WAS SELECTED FROM THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REFERRALS TO A JUVENILE COURT IN THE EARLY 1970'S FOR CLINICAL STUDY. MEDICAL RECORDS OF 4 OF THE 109 CHILDREN WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE LIST OF PARENTS WAS CROSS-CHECKED WITH CENTRAL FILES OF THE STATE POLICE TO DETERMINE DOCUMENTED PARENTAL CRIMINALITY. TWENTY OF THE 105 CHILDREN WHOSE MEDICAL RECORDS WERE AVAILABLE HAD CRIMINAL PARENTS, WHILE 85 CHILDREN DID NOT. MEDICAL HISTORIES OF CHILDREN WERE EVALUATED ON THE BASIS OF EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF THEIR HOSPITAL RECORDS AT THE MAJOR GENERAL HOSPITAL SERVING THE AREA. APPROXIMATELY 95 PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN USED THIS HOSPITAL. THE DATE AND THE REASON FOR EACH HOSPITAL VISIT WERE RECORDED ACCORDING TO AGE. DELINQUENT CHILDREN OF CRIMINAL PARENTS HAD MORE HOSPITAL VISITS THAN DELINQUENT CHILDREN OF NONCRIMINAL PARENTS BEFORE AGE 4 YEARS, BEFORE AGE 12 YEARS, AND THROUGH AGE 16 YEARS. CHILDREN OF CRIMINAL PARENTS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES BEFORE AGE 4 YEARS THAN CHILDREN OF NONCRIMINAL PARENTS. DELINQUENT CHILDREN OF CRIMINAL FATHERS HAD MORE HOSPITAL VISITS THAN THOSE OF NONCRIMINAL FATHERS, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN MEDICAL HISTORIES OF DELINQUENT CHILDREN FOR CRIMINAL AND NONCRIMINAL MOTHERS. DELINQUENT CHILDREN HAD MORE SERIOUS MEDICAL HISTORIES THAN NONDELINQUENT CHILDREN, BUT DELINQUENT CHILDREN WITH CRIMINAL PARENTS WERE AT GREATEST MEDICAL RISK. THE FINDINGS IMPLY THAT ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH PATERNAL CRIMINALITY AFFECTS THE DEVIANT BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN IS THROUGH PHYSICAL ABUSE OR NEGLECT THAT RESULTS IN PHYSICAL INJURY. PHYSICAL TRAUMA, ESPECIALLY TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AT AN EARLY AGE, IMPEDES A CHILD'S ABILITY TO PERCEIVE ACCURATELY, MAKE SOUND JUDGMENTS, AND CONTROL IMPULSES. SUPPORTING DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)