- 1.
Many antisocial youth have difficult temperaments from birth.
- Babies with difficult temperament are
poor sleepers, difficult to feed and hard to toilet train.1
These babies require extra patience
and attention. Research has shown that children with difficult temperaments who grow
up in families where there have been serious difficulties, develop emotional and
behavioral problems.2
- 2.
Many antisocial youth suffer from a variety of disabilities.
- Learning disabilities, including reading
disability, are common occurrences.3 Lack of recognition of disabilities can cause
serious problems to a child's progress and self image.
- 3.
Many antisocial youth have serious psychiatric disorders
- The most common is attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which makes it hard for these youth to do well academically.4
Impulsiveness is one of the symptoms of ADHD which often contributes to children
getting into fights and trouble with the law. ADHD runs in families and has been
linked to a genetic abnormality.5
Besides the above, many antisocial youth
have neurological disturbances such as psychomotor epilepsy, and symptoms of psychotic
illnesses such as schizophrenia and manic depressive psychosis.6
- 4.
Many antisocial youth come from families that have experienced a great deal of difficulty
and stress.
- Children growing up in these families
may experience inconsistent discipline, neglect, and physical abuse.7
There may be a history of mental illness in one or both parents. Very often the difficulties
experienced by the families are further aggravated by poverty.8
None of the above risk factors by themselves
cause young persons to be antisocial. What makes the youth more than likely to be
antisocial is the presence of more than 2 or 3 factors. In fact, most antisocial
youth have 3 or 4 risk factors present.9
Many antisocial youth are unable to
meet society's expectations. This may result from their disabilities, disorders and
family backgrounds. They find it difficult to control their behaviour; they
are unable to perform well in school; and they have difficulties forming
close and meaningful relationships.
It is important to recognize
that without help these youth are going to cause a great deal of harm to society
through their antisocial and violent behaviour.
Besides causing suffering to their families
and society, they cost us millions of dollars through probation, jail, welfare and
unemployment. 10
The fact is that
antisocial youth
do not choose to be bad;
with help they are capable of being
good. It is in our interest to help them so that, instead of causing pain and expense
to society, they can positively contribute.
How
can we help?
We Can Help
- By helping families so that they can
meet the physical, emotional and intellectual needs of their children.
- By recognizing and treating aggressive
behaviour as soon as it appears. Many violent youth were aggressive children.
- By ensuring that antisocial youth receive
proper assessments and effective treatments.
- By abandoning the pursuit of harsh
punishments. Research has shown that long sentences and harsh punishments do not
prevent the recurrence of crime.11
References
- Thomas, A., Chess,
S., and Birch, H.G. (1969). Temperament and Behaviour Disorders in Children.
New York: New York University Press.
- Maziade, M., Caron,
C., Cote, R., Merette, C., Bernier, H., Laplante, B., Boutin, P., and Thivierge,
J. (1990). Psychiatric status of adolescents who had extreme temperaments at
age 7. American Journal of Psychiatry, 147(11), 1531-1536.
- Lewis, D.O., Shanok,
S.S., Balla, D.A. and Bard, B. (1980). Psychiatric correlates of severe reading
disabilities in an incarcerated delinquent population. Journal of the American
Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 19, 611-622.
- O'Brien, J.D., Halperin,
J.M., Newcom, J.H., Sharma, V., Wolf, L. and Morganstein, A. (1992). ADDH, Conduct
Disorder and cognitive functioning. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 130),
274277.
- Hauser, P., Zametin,
A.J., Martinez, P., Vitiello, B., Matochik, J.A., Mixson, A.J. and Weintraub, B.
(1993). Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder in people with generalized resistance
to thyroid hormone. The New England Journal of Medicine, 328(14), 997-1001.
- Lewis, D.O. (1993).
Conduct disorder. In: R. Michels, A.M. Cooper, S.B. Guze, et al. (Eds.), Psychiatry
(Vol. 2, Chap. 37, pp. 1-10). Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co.
- Reidy, T.J. (1977).
The aggressive characteristics of abused and neglected children. Journal of Clinical
Psychology, 33(4), 1140-1145.
- Rae-Grant, N., Thomas,
B.H., Offord, D.R., and Boyle, M.H. (1989). Risk, protective factors, and the
prevalence of behavioral and emotional disorders in children and adolescents. Journal
of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 28(2), 262-268.
- Rutter, M. (1979).
Invulnerability, or why some children are not damaged by stress. In: S.J. Shamsie
(Ed.), New Directions in Children's Mental Health (pp. 53-76). New York: S.P. Medical
and Scientific Books.
- Shamsie, J. (Ed.).
(1990). Youth with conduct disorder: what is to be done? Toronto: Ministry of
Community and Social Services.
- Andrews, D.A.,
Leschied, A.W. and Hoge, R.D. (1992). Review of the profile, classification and
treatment literature with young offenders: a socialpsychological approach. Toronto:
Ministry of Community and Social Services.
Prepared by Dr. Jalal Sharnsie,
Director, IAY
in consultation with the IAY Multi-Agency Staff Development Committee
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Institute for the
study of Antisocial behaviour in Youth (lAY) 
