Affiliation:
1. Department of Psychology Concordia University Montreal Quebec Canada
2. Center for Mind & Brain University of California Davis Davis California USA
Abstract
AbstractThis study investigated specialized and versatile antisocial patterns in preschoolers and examined the link between these patterns and the risk of developing chronic antisocial behaviors throughout childhood. A total of 556 children (50.6% boys, 88% White) participated in this three‐wave longitudinal study at 3–5, 6–8, and 10–12 years old. A latent transition analysis revealed that most preschoolers (89.5%) who adopt several subtypes of antisocial behaviors simultaneously exhibit stable and severe antisocial behaviors throughout childhood. In contrast, most preschoolers (60%) who favor one specific subtype of antisocial behaviors desist from such behaviors between preschool and preadolescence. Importantly, aggression accompanied by other subtypes of antisocial behaviors predicted chronicity better than aggression alone, casting doubt on the notion that aggression is the strongest predictor of chronicity.
Funder
Health Canada
Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Subject
Developmental and Educational Psychology,Education,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health