Biosocial Development and Delinquent Involvement

Abstract

In this article, we examine the influence of pubertal development on misbehavior, as well as examine a series of Gene × Environment Interactions. Specifically, we examine whether the onset of puberty interacts with preexisting temperamental differences and whether puberty influences peer groups selection. The data for this study come from the public-use version of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative sample of 6,504 adolescents. The results show that pubertal development is a robust predictor of misbehavior (especially for boys) and that puberty interacts with individual differences and with peer group affiliation.