Tara Renae McGee

Early Risk Factors for Adolescent Antisocial Behaviour: An Australian Longitudinal Study:

Objective: This investigation utilizes data from an Australian longitudinal study to identify early risk factors for adolescent antisocial behaviour. Method: Analyses are based on data from the Mater University Study of Pregnancy, an ongoing longitudinal investigation of womens and childrens health and development involving over 8000 participants. Five types of risk factors (child characteristics, perinatal factors, maternal/familial characteristics, maternal pre- and post-natal substance use and parenting practices) were included in analyses and were based on maternal reports, child assessments and medical records. Adolescent antisocial behaviour was measured when children were 14 years old, using the delinquency subscale of the Child Behaviour Checklist. Results: Based on a series of logistic regression models, significant risk factors for adolescent antisocial behaviour included childrens prior problem behaviour (i.e. aggression and attention/restlessness problems at age 5 years) and marital instability, which doubled or tripled the odds of antisocial behaviour. Perinatal factors, maternal substance use, and parenting practices were relatively poor predictors of antisocial behaviour. Conclusions: Few studies have assessed early predictors of antisocial behaviour in Australia and the current results can be used to inform prevention programs that target risk factors likely to lead to problem outcomes for Australian youth.

Timing and Chronicity of Family Poverty and Development of Unhealthy Behaviors in Children: A Longitudinal Study

PURPOSE To examine the impact of the timing and duration of family experiences of poverty over the child/adolescent early life course on child aggressive/delinquent behavior and tobacco and alcohol consumption. METHODS Data were taken from a large scale population based birth cohort study with repeated follow-ups until 21 years after the birth. Poverty was measured during the pregnancy, 6 months, 5 years, and 14 years after the birth. Aggressive/delinquent behavior was measured at 14- and 21-year follow-ups. Tobacco and alcohol consumption were measured at the 21-year follow-up. RESULTS In multivariate analysis, family poverty experienced at the 14-year follow-up predicted persistent aggressive/delinquent behavior as well as smoking and higher levels of alcohol consumption at the 21-year follow-up. However, the strongest associations were for recurrent experiences of family poverty, with the group that experienced repeated poverty (3-4 times) being more than twice more likely to be aggressive/delinquent at both 14 and 21 years, and to drink more than one glass of alcohol per day at 21 years. CONCLUSIONS Repeated experiences of poverty in early childhood and adolescence are strongly associated with a number of negative health-related behavior outcomes. Experience of poverty in the early adolescence seems to be the most sensitive period for such exposure.

The Impact of Puberty on Aggression/Delinquency: Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Abstract Puberty is a potentially sensitive period during which the adolescent demonstrates rapid changes in aggressive/delinquent behaviour. Early onset of puberty has been implicated, not only in the earlier occurrence of aggressive/delinquent behaviour, but potentially a continuing higher level of aggression/delinquency. This article examines immediate and longer term gender specific changes in aggressive/delinquent behaviour as these are independently associated with the age of onset of puberty and pubertal stage adjusted for age. Data is derived from the Mater— University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy, a prospective prebirth cohort that involves 2,784 respondents who provided information about current pubertal stage (Tanner Score) and the age of onset of puberty, as well as the Achenbachs Youth Self-Report (14-year YSR) and Young Adult Self-Report (21-year YASR). Both males and females had similar increased levels of aggression/delinquency with more advanced pubertal stage at the 14-year follow-up. For females (but not males) early age of onset of puberty was additionally associated with more symptoms of aggression/ delinquency at the 14-year follow-up. For males, by the 21-year follow-up those who had experienced early age of onset of puberty no longer had higher YASR levels of aggression/delinquency. For females, only early and late age of occurrence of puberty were associated with longer term evidence of aggressive/delinquent behaviour. Progression through puberty is associated with increased levels of aggressive/delinquent behaviour for both males and females, and of about a similar magnitude. Female rates of aggressive/delinquent behaviour may have increased over time to match those observed in young males. For females only, there is evidence of a long-term sustained effect of early and late puberty on increased levels of aggressive/delinquent behaviour.

Do Antisocial Females Exhibit Poor Outcomes in Adulthood? An Australian Cohort Study

Objective: Antisocial behaviour in young people is common and associated with adverse effects in adulthood. The question whether these effects are observed in both genders remains controversial. A typology of antisocial behaviour that captures childhood limited (CL), adolescent onset (AO) and life course persistent behaviour (LCP) through both developmental stages is utilized to examine young adult outcomes in both sexes. Methods: The Mater–University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) data set is a longitudinal study following up a cohort of 7223 infants and mothers from antenatal care to the childs 21st year. Data on child antisocial behaviour was collected at ages 5 and 14 years. At the 21-year follow up, self-reported outcomes were collected on antisocial behaviour, use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis, physical and mental health functioning. The relationship between the three antisocial sub-types and negative young adult outcomes was examined for both males and females using a series of logistic regressions. Results: Complete data across 21 years was available for 3173 participants. Males experienced higher levels of antisocial behaviour. In both males and females, AO and LCP groups exhibited elevated risk of negative outcomes including continuing antisocial behaviour, cannabis use, general health problems and depression/anxiety symptoms. The CL group exhibited poorer outcomes in physical and mental health but not in other domains. Conclusion: Both males and females exhibiting AO and LCP antisocial behaviour are at increased risk of serious adverse outcomes in young adulthood. The significant loss to follow up of high-risk groups suggests the important relationship between early antisocial behaviour and problems in adulthood have been underestimated. Further research is required to understand antisocial behaviour in adolescence, identify factors that reinforce its continuity into adulthood, and identify interventions which are able to modify adult outcomes.

Utilization of social science research: Results of a pilot study among Australian sociologists and criminologists

Researchers, as well as decision-makers and practitioners, often wonder what becomes of the results of research in the social sciences. At present in Australia, we know very little on the subject. This article reports results from a survey of academic sociologists and criminologists about the utilization of their research. It tests an empirical model that derives its dependent and independent variables from prior studies on knowledge utilization, and defines research utilization as a six-stage cumulative process. Results indicate that while there are decreasing reported levels of research utilization across the stages by practitioners and professionals, academic sociologists and criminologists report their research is more often used conceptually. Variables that distinguished respondents who report high levels of utilization were investments in linkage and exchange mechanisms. The discussion is placed in a broader context related to measuring the impact of social research and the factors that inhibit and facilitate this process.

The impact of snares on the continuity of adolescent-onset antisocial behaviour: A test of Moffitt’s developmental taxonomy

Moffitt’s dual typology of ‘life-course persistent’ and ‘adolescence limited’ offending has received extensive empirical attention, but the extent to which the antisocial behaviour of adolescence limited offenders is constrained to adolescence is relatively under-examined. Using data from the Australian Mater University Study of Pregnancy and its Outcomes, we explore Moffitt’s concept of snares, or those factors that may lead to an adolescent persisting in antisocial behaviour such as drug addiction, educational failure, and contact with the justice system. The Mater University Study of Pregnancy and its Outcomes is a longitudinal study of mother–child dyads from the pre-natal stage to 21 years of age. Findings show that one-third of individuals identified as having an adolescent onset of antisocial behaviour persisted with this antisocial behaviour as young adults. This continuity can, in part, be explained by snares and the research suggests that reducing exposure to snares may lead to less antisocial behaviour in adulthood.

Advancing knowledge about developmental and life-course criminology

Developmental and life-course criminology is concerned mainly with three topics: (1) the development of offending and antisocial behavior from childhood to adulthood; (2) risk and protective factors for offending and antisocial behavior; and (3) the effect of life events on the course of development. The main aim is to study changes within individuals over time in risk factors and life events, and to relate them to later changes in offending. This special issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology brings together a range of papers focused around this aim.

Developmental and Life-Course Criminology

This chapter explores the rise of developmental and life-course criminology with specific reference to the Australian and New Zealand context. The chapter begins with a description of developmental and life criminology, its origins, dimensions, and distinctiveness. This is followed by a description of the significant longitudinal studies available in Australia and New Zealand for advancing knowledge about developmental and life-course dimensions of offending. A number of key results emerging from studies from Australia and New Zealand are presented. The chapter concludes with a discussion about both the distinctiveness and the challenges of developmental and life-course criminology in the Australian and New Zealand context as well as opportunities and directions for the future.

Frequent peer problems in Australian children and adolescents

Purpose – Whilst overt bullying has received considerable attention for its negative impact on the emotional well-being of children and adolescents, peer problems such as excessive teasing and social exclusion have received less consideration. The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence, demographic, and clinical correlates of frequent peer problems in children and adolescents who participated in the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being. Design/methodology/approach – Participants were a nationally representative sample of 2,107 children (aged 6-12 years), and 1,490 adolescents (aged 13-17 years). Frequent peer problems (excessive teasing or social exclusion) were measured by parental report for children, and self and parental report for adolescents. Associations with a number of mental health problems were examined, including being in the clinical range for internalising and externalising symptoms, having major depressive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ...

Shared Beginnings, Divergent Lives: Delinquent Boys to Age 70 [Book Review]

Abstract State Crime: Governments, Violence and Corruption; By Penny Green and Tony Ward (2004) London: Pluto Press, 255 pp, ISBN 0745317847 Shared Beginnings, Divergent Lives: Delinquent Boys to Age 70 By John H. Laub and Robert J. Sampson; (2003) Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 338 pp, ISBN 0674011910 Introducing Policing: Challenges for Police and Australian Communities By Mark Findlay; (2004) Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press, 190 pp, ISBN 0 19 551621 4 Bin Laden in the Suburbs: Criminalising the Arab Other By Scott Poynting, Greg Noble, Paul Tabar and Jock Collins; (2004) Sydney, Australia, The Sydney Institute of Criminology & Federation Press, 333 pp, ISBN 0975196707 The Practice of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice (2nd ed.) By Ronet Bachman and Russell Schutt; (2003) Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press, xxiii + 405 pp, ISBN 0761928774