1. Investigating the Associations Between Childhood Experience and
Adult Antisocial Behavior
Emily Vanderbleek, Abigail Downey, Lee Anna Clark
University of Notre Dame
INTRODUCTION
ANALYSES
RESULTS
Table 1
Correlations between variables
Early antisocial behavior is a reliable predictor of legal offending in adulthood, but not a sufficient predictor (e.g., Nelson et al., 2006; Walters et al., 2010).
Some scholars have identified childhood maltreatment as a predictor of adult antisocial behaviors, but findings are inconsistent.
Different types of maltreatment may have differential associations with adult antisocial behavior (e.g., Battle et al., 2004).
Correlations
Being a racial/ethnic minority associated with higher levels of maternal neglect and maternal/paternal psychological abuse
Female sex strongly related to sexual abuse
CD related to maternal/paternal psychological abuse and physical abuse
Regression Analyses
Do childhood experiences significantly predict legal offending, and will the model differ between sexes?
CD strongly predicted all four types of legal offending in both males and females.
Property Crime
Males: Physical abuse (−)
Females: Maternal psychological abuse and sexual abuse
Violent Crime
Females: Race/ethnicity, maternal neglect, and sexual abuse
Alcohol/Drug
Females: Sexual abuse
Total Crime/Delinquency
Males: Race/ethnicity
Females: Maternal neglect (−), maternal psychological abuse, and sexual abuse
Neglect (M)
Neglect (F)
Psy Abuse (M)
Psy Abuse (F)
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Race/Ethnicity
.14*
.11
.18**
.30**
.08
.10
Sex
.09
.02
.04
.05
.25**
Conduct Disorder
.17*
.18*
.20**
.07
# of Arrests
.01
.03
.06
CURRENT STUDY
Tables 2-5
Regression analyses predicting legal offenses from childhood experiences (male/female)
Objectives
We investigated the associations among childhood experiences (conduct disorder, maltreatment) and legal offending.
Legal difficulties were sorted into four composites: substance use, property crime, violent crime, and total crime/delinquency.
Childhood maltreatment was sorted into six composites: neglect (mother/father), psychological abuse (mother/father), physical abuse, and sexual abuse.
Examined whether legal offending can be predicted from childhood experiences and whether the relationships differ by sex.
Measures
CAB (Crime and Analogous Behavior Scale)
Assesses wide range of risky behaviors and criminal acts
CECA-Q (Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire)
Measure of childhood and adolescent experience of adversity
SIDP-IV
Semi-structured interview assessing DSM-IV personality disorders
Participants
N = 196; 62.2% female (N=122), 37.8% male (N=74); 71.4% white (N=140), 28.6% racial minority (N=56)
Mean age = 49.7 years (SD=11.40), range = 21-85
61.7% mental health patients (N=121), % high-risk community sample (N=75)
40.8% have been arrested (N=80); mean # of arrests = 1.85; range = 0-30
35.7% with CD (N=70), mean # of criteria = 2.28
Property Crime
Violent Crime β p
Race/Ethnicity
-.44
.19
-.03
.89
Neglect (M)
.00
.99
-.02
.15
Neglect (F)
.04
.07
.01
.48
Psych Abuse (M)
.51
.02*
.03
Psych Abuse (F)
.06
-.01
.16
Physical Abuse
-.16*
.27
Sexual Abuse
-.13
.35
.15*
.02
Conduct Disorder
.19**
<.00
.10* β p
Race/Ethnicity
-.43
.07
-.47**
<.00
Neglect (M)
.02
.33
-.02*
.04
Neglect (F)
.01
.32
.00
.66
Psych Abuse (M)
.94
.37
Psych Abuse (F)
.16
.79
Physical Abuse
.89
.69
Sexual Abuse
-.11
.27
.17**
Conduct Disorder
.13**
DISCUSSION
Summary and Future Directions
Males and females displayed different patterns when predicting legal offending.
Both CD and childhood maltreatment play a role in predicting legal offending.
It is beneficial to investigate multiple types of maltreatment, as well as different offenses.
We must examine the role of the broader family context (e.g., parenting style, sibling relationships) in the development of legal offending.
We should incorporate other factors that may impact these associations, such as pathological personality traits.
Alcohol/Drug Abuse
Total Crime/Delinquency β p
Race/Ethnicity
.06
.88
.41
.13
Neglect (M)
.15
.03
.17
Neglect (F)
.01
.85
.60
Psych Abuse (M)
.58
.50
Psych Abuse (F)
.79
.00
.86
Physical Abuse
-.13
.19
.11
Sexual Abuse
.26
.20*
Conduct Disorder
.15** β p
Race/Ethnicity
-1.20*
.05
-.53
.12
Neglect (M)
.36
-.07**
.01
Neglect (F)
.03
.49
.65
Psych Abuse (M)
.00
.90
.04*
.02
Psych Abuse (F)
.06
.84
Physical Abuse
-.23
.11
.41
Sexual Abuse
-.25
.35**
<.00
Conduct Disorder
.41**
.31**
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was supported by National Institute for Mental Health Grant R01-MH
Additional funding provided by the University of Notre Dame Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts, SWARM fund, and AP-LS Grants-in-Aid.