Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

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Antisocial behavior, both criminal and noncriminal, is a prominent yet poorly understood public health concern. Research on antisocial behavior typically focuses on either individual or environmental risk factors, rarely integrating risks across levels of analysis. Although low objective SES is clearly associated with antisocial behavior, the reasons why are unclear. Sociological theories suggest this relationship is due to neighborhood and environmental characteristics that create social disorganization and reduce informal social controls in the community. On the other hand, psychological theories suggest that elevated levels of psychological distress and psychopathic traits may influence individual risk for antisocial behavior. The purpose of this study was to integrate sociological and psychological models to examine how certain individual and environmental risk factors intersect in predicting antisocial behavior. In a demographically diverse adult male sample (N = 462), environmental (neighborhood distress) and individual (psychological distress) risk factors each mediated the SES – antisocial behavior relationship (as predicted), although findings depended on which definition of SES was used (objective versus subjective). In addition, psychopathic dimensions (specifically, meanness and disinhibition) were observed to exacerbate the effects of neighborhood and psychological distress on antisocial behavior, as hypothesized. Supplemental analyses also considered index variables comprising neighborhood disadvantage. Overall, results of this study help inform psychological and sociological theories of antisocial behavior, and may assist in clarifying potential neighborhood- and individual-level foci for interventions to prevent and reduce antisocial behavior in the community. / Ph. D. / Antisocial behavior is an important public health concern. Low SES is linked to antisocial behavior, but the reasons why are unclear. Sociological theories suggest this relationship is due to a person’s neighborhood and environment, while psychological theories suggest this relationship is due to individual distress and psychopathy. The purpose of this study was to look across sociological and psychological models to examine how risk factors intersect to predict antisocial behavior. Results found environmental (neighborhood distress) and individual (psychological distress) risk factors each mediated (significantly explained) the SES – antisocial behavior relationship. In addition, psychopathy strengthened the effects of environmental and individual distress on antisocial behavior. Results of this study can be used to identify potential environmental and individual mechanisms that can be targeted to prevent and reduce antisocial behavior in the community.

Recent research has postulated a correlation between childhood trauma and delinquency, but few empirical studies have examined the causal relationship between these constructs over time and, specifically, with juvenile delinquent girls. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to use an existing longitudinal data set to explore the relationship between childhood trauma experiences and the development of antisocial behavior over time. The sample included juvenile delinquent girls (N = 166) who were part of two nationally funded research projects conducted by researchers at the Oregon Social Learning Center (OSLC) entitled OSLC Relationship Study I comparing Mutlidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) and group care. A cross-lagged model was used to examine the association between trauma and delinquency across three time points. Multiple group analyses were conducted based on the moderating effects of age, cumulative historical trauma experiences, sexual abuse and out-of-home placements. Overall, study results showed that trauma and delinquency rates were not associated over time for the full sample. The moderating effect of age was partially supported with younger and older girls exhibiting different pathways. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

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The current study was an investigation of the effectiveness of Functional Family Therapy (FFT) for improving the mental health, behavioral, and legal outcomes for justice-involved adolescents. A primary focus of the investigation was on whether Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits moderated the effects of treatment and whether therapists tailored the intervention to youths with these traits. The sample was 134 youths (15.34 years) who had been arrested and referred to a community mental health center for treatment by trained FFT therapists. Results indicated modest improvement over the course of treatment in the youths' emotional and behavioral functioning. CU traits were found to moderate treatment effects, wherein CU traits were associated with greater emotional and behavioral dysfunction prior to treatment, as well as greater improvement after treatment. However, CU traits also predicted greater self-reported, but not official reports, of delinquency at follow-up. Furthermore, results indicated some evidence for diverging treatment processes for youth with and without CU traits. Specifically, differences in response to changes in negative parenting varied between youth high and low on CU traits for some measures of emotional and behavioral functioning. Overall, FFT was found to be a promising treatment approach, but significant limitations in its effectiveness were also documented.

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits have been shown to designate a particular subgroup of antisocial youth that are particularly violent, recidivistic, and more likely to continue offending in adulthood. Disordered neuroendocrine function may be a mechanism for the development of CU traits. We examined whether altered stress responsivity served as a mechanism linking stress exposure and the expression of CU traits. Participants were 15 incarcerated adolescent girls with CU traits. Measures of CU traits, stress exposure, and salivary cortisol were collected. Results revealed girls with CU traits had higher morning levels of cortisol, an intact cortisol awakening response (CAR), and flatter diurnal rhythms. Results indicated the type of stressor being measured and time since stressor onset are crucial to the interpretation of neuroendocrine function. We also found support for a neurobiological model for the development of CU traits drawing on the Adaptive Calibration Model. Implications of the study and directions for further research are discussed.

Antisocial behaviors (AB), which place an enormous burden on society, are committed by a heterogeneous population, including psychopaths (Poythress et al., 2010). Psychopathy denotes a more serious and entrenched pattern of AB (Hare, 1996) and appears to be a heterogeneous construct as well. In fact, Primary and Secondary psychopathic variants are consistently identified in a variety of samples using person-centered analysis (Drislane et al., 2014; Gill & Stickle, 2016). Both Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (Gray & McNaughton, 2000) and the Triarchic Model of Psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) provide useful frameworks to understand the etiology of the psychopathic variants. The current study identified Primary and Secondary Trait groups in a sample of criminally justice involved adults (N = 377), which differed on measures of negative emotionality. However, the Psychopathic trait groups did not differ on the boldness or meanness domains of the Triarchic Model (Patrick, Fowles & Kreuger). The disinhibition domain of the Triarchic model was significantly associated with aggression, and this association was partially mediated by levels of anxiety. Anxiety is an important dimension to assess in research, evaluation, and treatment of individuals with high levels of antisocial behavior. Keywords: Psychopathy, variants, Triarchic, measurement, antisocial behavior

The aim of this work was to analyze the influence of neighbors and parents on children’s antisocial behavior. The participants were 96 homeless children and 96 students. The instruments applied were the Scale of Antisocial Behavior (Castell, Frías, Corral & Sotomayor, 2000) and the Scales of Addictive Behavior (Reich & Herjanic, 1989; Vazsonyi, Pickering, Junger & Hessing, 2001). First univariate statistics were obtained, after a model was tested using structural equations modeling. The data showed that children’s antisocial and addictive behavior was affected by father’s antisocial behavior, mother’s addictive behavior and neighborhood. For homeless children their antisocial behavior was influenced directly by their addictive behavior and father’s antisocial behavior. For students, neighborhood, father’s antisocial behavior and children’s addictive behavior influenced on children’s antisocial behavior. In both groups the neighborhood and mother’s addictive behavior influenced directly children’s addictive behavior. / Se analizó la influencia del vecindario y la familia en el comportamiento antisocial de menores. Los participantes fueron 192 menores, 96 con antecedentes de indigencia y 96 escolares no indigentes. Se administraron la Escala de Comportamiento Antisocial (Castell,Frías, Corral & Sotomayor, 2000) y las Escalas de Comportamiento Adictivo (Reich & Herjanic, 1989; Vazsonyi, Pickering, Junger & Hessing, 2001). Se calcularon frecuencias de medias, desviaciones estándar y modelamiento estructural. Los resultados mostraron que la conducta antisocial y adictiva estaba influenciada por el comportamiento antisocial del padre, el comportamiento adictivo de la madre y el vecindario. Para los menores indigentes, el comportamiento antisocial estaba directamente influido por su comportamiento adictivo y el comportamiento antisocial del padre. Para el grupo de estudiantes el comportamiento antisocial estaba influido por el vecindario, por su comportamiento adictivo y por el comportamiento antisocial del padre. Para ambos grupos el vecindario y el comportamiento adictivo de la madre influyeron directamente en el comportamiento adictivo de los mismos.

The existence of several causes of antisocial behavior during adolescence seems to respond, not only to the combination of many risk factors within different levels of human development, but also to cultural and historical processes affecting, in many ways, several generations since their early childhood. This paper revises the main explicative theories about antisocial behavior during adolescence and highlights the theory of the Neuropsychological Taxonomy of the Antisocial Behavior proposed by Terrie E. Moffitt (1993, 1994, 1996, 2003). Moreover, some studies are mentioned due to the fact that they confirm the cross-cultural validity of Moffitt’s theorical model and its  contributions to the design of prevention programs against delinquency for youngsters and adolescents in our context. / La multicausalidad del comportamiento antisocial durante la adolescencia parece no sólo obedecer a la combinación de múltiples factores de riesgo ubicados en diferentes niveles del desarrollo humano, sino también a procesos históricos y culturales que afectan de manera diferenciada a varias generaciones de jóvenes desde su temprana infancia. Este artículo revisa las principales teorías explicativas del  comportamiento antisocial durante la adolescencia, enfatizando en la teoría neuropsicológica de la Taxonomía del Desarrollo de la Conducta Antisocial propuesta por Terrie E. Moffitt (1993, 1994, 1996, 2003). Asimismo, se mencionan algunos estudios realizados que confirman la validez transcultural del modelo teórico de Moffitt y sus contribuciones para el diseño de programas de prevención del delito entre población adolescente y juvenil en nuestro medio.