Popli, G. orcid.org/0000-0003-2919-2627, Maughan, B. and Rowe, R. (Accepted: 2025) Mid-life outcomes of young people’s antisocial behaviour: the role of developmental heterogeneity across childhood and adolescence. Psychological Medicine. ISSN 0033-2917 (In Press)
Abstract
Background: Antisocial behaviour (ASB) is relatively common in childhood and adolescence. While it harms victims, perpetrators are at increased risk of disadvantageous adult outcomes. Developmental heterogeneity is well documented; distinctions have been drawn between early onset persistent, adolescent-onset and childhood-limited pathways. We examine whether individuals in some pathways face worse mid-life outcomes than others and whether the pattern differs across sexes.
Methods: The 1970 British Cohort Study assessed parent-reported ASB measures at ages 5, 10 and 16. We classified developmental pathways using the Rutter A scale conduct questions. We categorized children scoring in the top 10% of the distribution as showing high ASB, separately at each assessment. Approximately 6000 individuals were classified into low (73%), childhood-limited (11%), adolescent-onset (9%) and early onset persistent (7%) groups. We tested associations of ASB grouping with age 46 social, economic and health outcomes, controlling for a range of covariates.
Results: The childhood-limited group showed little mid-life difficulty. The early onset persistent and adolescent-onset groups both showed a pattern of worse midlife outcomes for boys and girls.
Conclusions: The results highlight that ASB in young people is not transient and that prevention and treatment during early childhood and adolescence are warranted.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s), 2025. |
Keywords: | BCS70; Conduct problems; developmental pathways |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Department of Economics (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 21 Feb 2025 10:25 |
Last Modified: | 21 Feb 2025 10:25 |
Status: | In Press |
Publisher: | Cambridge University Press |
Refereed: | Yes |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:223494 |