-
Journal of Adolescence Jan 2024Adolescent bullying is a complicated behavior that is difficult to prevent. Understanding factors that predict bullying during adolescence can help us minimize such...
INTRODUCTION
Adolescent bullying is a complicated behavior that is difficult to prevent. Understanding factors that predict bullying during adolescence can help us minimize such behavior. Classroom incivility is a low-level antisocial behavior that has been discussed in the literature as being a potential predictor of bullying in adolescence. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to examine the longitudinal link between classroom incivility and bullying.
METHODS
Data for the current study was collected using quantitative surveys at two-time points, three years apart (November 2019 and November 2022) in southern Ontario, Canada. Our sample comprised 349 adolescents (51.3% boys, 46.4% girls, 0.6% other, and 1.7% preferred not to say) between the ages of 9 and 14 years old (M = 11.92 years; SD = 1.42). We utilized cross-lagged analyses to examine the stability of classroom incivility in adolescence, and the longitudinal association between classroom incivility and bullying.
RESULTS
Classroom incivility at Time 1 predicted bullying behavior at Time 2, while bullying at Time 1 did not predict classroom incivility at Time 2. Our results not only support the stability of levels of classroom incivility across time, but also provide empirical support for classroom incivility as a precursor to bullying behavior.
CONCLUSION
Our study suggests that classroom incivility can not only negatively impact the learning environment but may also be implicated in contributing to the circumstances that promote bullying behavior in adolescence, highlighting the importance of limiting uncivil behavior before it escalates into more severe forms of behavior.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Adolescent; Child; Incivility; Surveys and Questionnaires; Bullying; Canada
PubMed: 37691514
DOI: 10.1002/jad.12247 -
Psychological Trauma : Theory,... Apr 2024Experiences of direct and indirect victimization can be very common among children and adolescents of the general population and can have an important impact on their...
OBJECTIVE
Experiences of direct and indirect victimization can be very common among children and adolescents of the general population and can have an important impact on their behavior. The general aim of this study was to analyze the possible association between childhood victimization and the development of antisocial behaviors during adolescence. The prevalence of child victimization and antisocial behaviors self-reported by adolescents is shown. Therefore, the individual associations between different types of childhood victimization and antisocial behaviors were explored.
METHOD
The sample comprised 459 general population adolescents. Data on six types of childhood victimization were collected using the Spanish version of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire, and information on five types of antisocial behaviors was gathered using the short version of the Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire.
RESULTS
More than 90% of the adolescents had been victimized at least once, while almost half of them had engaged in at least one type of antisocial behavior in the last 12 months. Witnessing and indirect victimization is the only type of childhood victimization associated with the antisocial behaviors analyzed.
CONCLUSIONS
These results corroborate previous findings suggesting that witnessing and indirect victimization may have the same or similar impact to that of direct victimization on adolescents' social adjustment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Child; Humans; Adolescent; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Crime Victims; Surveys and Questionnaires; Self Report
PubMed: 37956030
DOI: 10.1037/tra0001616 -
Journal of Clinical Child and... Jan 2024Although a growing body of work has found that parents' experiences of racial and socioeconomic (SES) based discrimination are directly related to their children's...
OBJECTIVE
Although a growing body of work has found that parents' experiences of racial and socioeconomic (SES) based discrimination are directly related to their children's behavior problems , more work is needed to understand possible pathways by which these factors are related and to identify potential targets for prevention and/or intervention.
METHOD
Using a large ( = 572), longitudinal sample of low-income families from diverse racial backgrounds, the current study explored whether caregivers' experiences of racial and SES discrimination during their children's middle childhood (i.e. ages 7.5-9.5) predicted youth-reported antisocial behavior during adolescence and potential factors mediating these associations (e.g. caregiver depressive symptoms and positive parenting practices).
RESULTS
We found that higher levels of caregiver experiences of discrimination at child ages 7.5-9.5 predicted higher levels of caregiver depressive symptoms at child age 10.5, which were related to lower levels of caregiver endorsement of positive parenting practices at child age 14.5, which in turn, predicted higher levels of youth-reported antisocial behavior at age 16.
CONCLUSION
The findings highlight the adverse effects of racism and discrimination in American society. Second, the findings underscore the need to develop interventions which mitigate racism and discrimination among perpetrators and alleviate depressive symptoms among caregivers.
PubMed: 38252485
DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2024.2301770 -
Prevention Science : the Official... May 2024Over a 12-year period, this study examined the effects of the Family Check-Up preventive intervention model on both observed and self-reported parenting behaviors of...
Cascading Effects of the Family Check-Up on Mothers' and Fathers' Observed and Self-Reported Parenting and Young Adult Antisocial Behavior: a 12-Year Longitudinal Intervention Trial.
Over a 12-year period, this study examined the effects of the Family Check-Up preventive intervention model on both observed and self-reported parenting behaviors of mothers and fathers as well as how those parenting behaviors were associated with young adult antisocial behavior. Teachers identified 641 early adolescent youth from school settings to be at elevated risk for the development of externalizing behavior and/or substance use. These youth and their families were randomly assigned to the Family Check-Up intervention model (consisting of an adaptive, multi-tiered model of support, including a school-based family resource room, the Family Check-Up, and targeted follow-up services) or a control condition. Using an intent-to-treat approach, the Family Check-Up intervention model positively impacted mothers' observed parenting approximately 5 years later in middle adolescence but was not associated with changes in fathers' observed or self-reported parenting. Mothers' observed adaptive parenting and fathers' self-reported adaptive parenting in middle adolescence were associated with lower risk for young adult antisocial behavior. The cascading effects of brief, family-focused interventions are discussed along with implications for the measurement of parenting in mothers and fathers in the context of preventive intervention trials.
PubMed: 38795235
DOI: 10.1007/s11121-024-01685-8 -
Hormones and Behavior Nov 2023A growing body of literature suggests that testosterone (T) rapidly modulates behavior in a context-specific manner. However, the timescales in which T can rapidly...
A growing body of literature suggests that testosterone (T) rapidly modulates behavior in a context-specific manner. However, the timescales in which T can rapidly mediate distinct types of behavior, such as pro- vs. anti- social responses, has not been studied. Thus, here we examined acute T influences on social behavior in male and female Mongolian gerbils in nonreproductive contexts. Females and males received an injection of either saline or T and were first tested in a social interaction test with a same-sex, familiar peer. 5 min after the peer interaction, subjects then underwent a resident-intruder test with a novel, same-sex conspecific. After another 5 min, gerbils were tested in a novel object task to test context-specificity (i.e., social vs. nonsocial) of T effects on behavior. Within 1 h, males and females injected with T exhibited more huddling with a peer but more active avoidance of and less time spent in proximity of an intruder than did animals injected with saline. T effects on behavior were specific to social contexts, such that T did not influence investigation of the novel object. Together these findings show that T rapidly promotes pro-social responses to a familiar peer and anti-social responses to an intruder in the same individuals within 5 min of experiencing these disparate social contexts. This demonstrates that T rapidly facilitates behavior in a context-appropriate manner outside the context of reproduction and reveals that rapid effects of T on behavior are not restricted to males.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Male; Female; Testosterone; Gerbillinae; Social Behavior; Reproduction; Social Interaction
PubMed: 37776832
DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105436 -
Development and Psychopathology Dec 2023Research has suggested that childhood-onset conduct problems (CPs) are more strongly related to individual predispositions, whereas adolescent-onset CP is more strongly...
Research has suggested that childhood-onset conduct problems (CPs) are more strongly related to individual predispositions, whereas adolescent-onset CP is more strongly associated with social factors, such as peer delinquency. Neighborhood disadvantage (ND) increases the risk for associating with deviant peers. Thus, peer delinquency could mediate the relationship between ND and adolescent-onset CP. This mediational hypothesis has not been tested previously. We tested this hypothesis in 1,127 justice-involved adolescent males using self-reported delinquency and official arrest records over 3 years after the youth's first arrest as outcomes. Predictors were self-reported and census-derived indicators of ND and self-reported peer delinquency. Age of onset moderated the associations between self-reported ND and arrests and between self-report of peer delinquency and arrests. In both cases, the association was stronger for those with adolescent-onset CP. Peer delinquency mediated all relationships between ND and CP. Our results also showed some unexpected differences in associations depending on whether self-reported ND or census-derived indicators were used as predictors. Specifically, census-derived ND was negatively related to self-reported offending, which could be due to the use of an arrested sample and the need for youth in more advantaged neighborhoods to show a more severe pattern of antisocial behavior to be arrested.
PubMed: 38073592
DOI: 10.1017/S0954579423001499 -
Comprehensive Psychiatry Nov 2023Patients in the forensic mental health services (FMHS) with a mental disorder, a co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD), and high risk of aggressive antisocial...
BACKGROUND
Patients in the forensic mental health services (FMHS) with a mental disorder, a co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD), and high risk of aggressive antisocial behavior (AAB) are sometimes referred to as the 'triply troubled'. They suffer poor treatment outcomes, high rates of criminal recidivism, and increased risk of drug related mortality. To improve treatment for this heterogeneous patient group, more insight is needed concerning their co-occurring mental disorders, types of substances used, and the consequent risk of AAB.
METHODS
A three-step latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify clinically relevant subgroups in a sample of patients (n = 98) from a high-security FMHS clinic in Sweden based on patterns in their history of mental disorders, SUD, types of substances used, and AAB.
RESULTS
A four-class model best fit our data: class 1 (42%) had a high probability of SUD, psychosis, and having used all substances; class 2 (26%) had a high probability of psychosis and cannabis use; class 3 (22%) had a high probability of autism and no substance use; and class 4 (10%) had a high probability of personality disorders and having used all substances. Both polysubstance classes (1 and 4) had a significantly more extensive history of AAB compared to classes 2 and 3. Class 3 and class 4 had extensive histories of self-directed aggression.
CONCLUSIONS
The present study helps disentangle the heterogeneity of the 'triply troubled' patient group in FMHS. The results provide an illustration of a more person-oriented perspective on patient comorbidity and types of substances used which could benefit clinical assessment, treatment planning, and risk-management among patients in forensic psychiatric care.
Topics: Humans; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Sweden; Latent Class Analysis; Mental Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders; Comorbidity; Aggression
PubMed: 37778180
DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2023.152428 -
Journal of the American Academy of... Apr 2024Conduct disorder (CD) has been associated with deficits in the use of punishment to guide reinforcement learning (RL) and decision making. This may explain the poorly...
OBJECTIVE
Conduct disorder (CD) has been associated with deficits in the use of punishment to guide reinforcement learning (RL) and decision making. This may explain the poorly planned and often impulsive antisocial and aggressive behavior in affected youths. Here, we used a computational modeling approach to examine differences in RL abilities between CD youths and typically developing controls (TDCs). Specifically, we tested 2 competing hypotheses that RL deficits in CD reflect either reward dominance (also known as reward hypersensitivity) or punishment insensitivity (also known as punishment hyposensitivity).
METHOD
The study included 92 CD youths and 130 TDCs (aged 9-18 years, 48% girls) who completed a probabilistic RL task with reward, punishment, and neutral contingencies. Using computational modeling, we investigated the extent to which the 2 groups differed in their learning abilities to obtain reward and/or to avoid punishment.
RESULTS
RL model comparisons showed that a model with separate learning rates per contingency explained behavioral performance best. Importantly, CD youths showed lower learning rates than TDCs specifically for punishment, whereas learning rates for reward and neutral contingencies did not differ. Moreover, callous-unemotional (CU) traits did not correlate with learning rates in CD.
CONCLUSION
CD youths have a highly selective impairment in probabilistic punishment learning, regardless of their CU traits, whereas reward learning appears to be intact. In summary, our data suggest punishment insensitivity rather than reward dominance in CD. Clinically, the use of punishment-based intervention techniques to achieve effective discipline in patients with CD may be a less helpful strategy than reward-based techniques.
Topics: Female; Adolescent; Humans; Male; Conduct Disorder; Punishment; Learning; Reward; Aggression
PubMed: 37414274
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2023.05.032 -
Psychological Reports Nov 2023A consequence of the proliferation of online communication is the concerning presence of antisocial behavior observed in virtual spaces. Research suggests the cognitive...
A consequence of the proliferation of online communication is the concerning presence of antisocial behavior observed in virtual spaces. Research suggests the cognitive component of empathy is hindered by features of electronic communication which facilitates antisocial behaviors online. Investigations into how features of online communication inhibit cognitive empathy are lacking, and findings on moral disengagement and antisocial behavior have yet to be integrated with studies on cognitive empathy and electronic communication. The current study explores these relationships. One hundred and three undergraduate students completed several measures including the Online Moral Disengagement Scale, Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy, and Online Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior Scale. Results showed a positive correlation between compulsive internet use and online moral disengagement, as well as a negative correlation between cognitive empathy and moral disengagement online. It was hypothesized that online moral disengagement would mediate the relation between cognitive empathy and antisocial behavior online but this mediation was not supported. However, a moderated relationship was revealed between cognitive empathy and moral justification, by liberalism. This moderation can be explored further and built upon by future research to deepen our understanding of how political ideology relates to virtual behavior. Furthermore, the findings concerning components of empathy and moral disengagement, and their role within the perpetration of antisocial conduct online, can inform future research as well as interventions focused on fostering prosocial behavior online and curbing cyberaggression.
PubMed: 38032608
DOI: 10.1177/00332941231216415 -
Journal of the American Academy of... Apr 2024Pioneering longitudinal studies of boys with hyperactivity by Satterfield et al. indicated that one of the most deleterious outcomes associated with...
Pioneering longitudinal studies of boys with hyperactivity by Satterfield et al. indicated that one of the most deleterious outcomes associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is later antisocial behaviors. This risk grows when ADHD is accompanied by severe behavior problems. Though most children with ADHD will not go on to engage in criminal behavior, dimensional measures of externalizing behavior problems as well as categorical diagnoses of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder have strong associations with ADHD. Moreover, cross-sectional studies of incarcerated adults indicate that 20% to 30% meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD. These associations between childhood ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder and later criminal behavior beg the question of whether treatment of ADHD can reduce the severity of, or in some cases prevent, criminal behavior.
Topics: Male; Child; Adult; Humans; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Cross-Sectional Studies; Conduct Disorder; Central Nervous System Agents; Criminal Behavior
PubMed: 37657497
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2023.08.003