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Abstract
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VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this article by Patterson et al. was to outline a developmental model of youth antisocial behavior.
METHODOLOGY:
The authors followed a non-experimental design in which research findings concerning the etiology and course of antisocial behavior from early childhood through adolescence was reviewed.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
Based on their review of past research on the etiology of antisocial behavior, the authors proposed a model which emphasized a developmental progression of antisocial behavior from early childhood to adolescence to adulthood. Several variables were cited from past research which have been shown to be consistent covariates for early forms of antisocial behavior and for later delinquency. The authors began by addressing early significant determinants of later antisocial behavior; basic training in the home, social rejection and school failure and deviant peer group membership. Evidence from past research was provided which showed that families of antisocial children tend to inadequately monitor and supervise the child's activities, use harsh and inconsistent discipline and have little involvement with the child. The authors applied control theory to these findings to explain how such an environment could lead to antisocial behavior. When parent-child bonding is disrupted, the child has a harder time identifying with parentally and societally defined values regarding conformity and work. It was argued that eventually this break leads to the child lacking in internal control. A social-interactional perspective was presented in contrast to control theory. According to this theory, there is an inconsistent use of positive reinforcers for prosocial behavior and effective punishment for deviant behaviors by family members. The child essentially learns coercive means for controlling others while at the same time he/she is not taught prosocial skills. The authors hypothesized that such early antisocial behavior results in rejection by members of the child's normal peer group in addition to poor academic achievement. When the child is denied membership in a normal peer group the authors argued that the child then seeks involvement with deviant peer groups. Past research has found that such deviant peer groups provide the adolescent with all the necessary adjustment mechanisms to support antisocial behavior as well as providing opportunities to engage in specific deviant acts. In terms of later involvement in criminal behavior, this development perspective suggests and past research has confirmed that boys getting involved in delinquency at an early age are at greatest risk of becoming chronic offenders later in life. The authors concluded by noting some important contextual variables relevant to family disruption. Antisocial parents and grandparents as well as various family stressors both negatively impact parenting skill and likewise increase antisocial behavior. Finally family demographics such as race, neighborhood, parental education, income and occupation were said to relate to the incidence of antisocial behavior.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
The authors suggested that parent-training interventions have been successful with preadolescents. For antisocial adolescents, however, behavior modification procedures as well as systematic parent training produce at best only short-term effects. Therefore, parent-training is most effective when applied to younger antisocial children and employed in conjunction with clinical treatment. The authors concluded by proposing that successful intervention programs should incorporate the following strategies: parent-training, child social-skills training and academic remediation.
EVALUATION:
The authors present a thoughtful perspective on youth antisocial behavior which takes both familial and environmental factors into consideration. The model is clearly explained and supported by a comprehensive review of the relevant literature. The authors could have explained why the findings linking social class to parenting practices are not consistent in order to outline the weakness of family demographics as a contextual variable. Regardless, the theoretical discussion and model construction provide valuable insight into the developmental dynamics of early childhood antisocial behavior. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
KW - Child Antisocial Behavior
KW - Child Behavior
KW - Juvenile Antisocial Behavior
KW - Juvenile Behavior
KW - Behavior Causes
KW - Child Development
KW - Juvenile Development
KW - Youth Development
KW - Psychosocial Development
KW - Family Relations
KW - Parent Child Relations
KW - Early Adolescence
KW - Early Childhood
KW - Middle Childhood
KW - Late Adolescence
KW - Late Childhood
Language: en |