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Life-Course Persistent Antisocial Behavior and Accelerated Biological Aging in a Longitudinal Birth Cohort

Author

Listed:
  • Stephanie Langevin

    (Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA)

  • Ashalom Caspi

    (Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
    Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
    Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
    Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham VA Healthcare System, Durham, NC 27705, USA)

  • J. C. Barnes

    (School of Criminal Justice, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA)

  • Grace Brennan

    (Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA)

  • Richie Poulton

    (Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand)

  • Suzanne C. Purdy

    (Discipline of Speech Science, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand)

  • Sandhya Ramrakha

    (Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand)

  • Peter T. Tanksley

    (Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78705, USA)

  • Peter R. Thorne

    (Discipline of Audiology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand)

  • Graham Wilson

    (Matai Medical Research Institute, Gisborne 4010, New Zealand)

  • Terrie E. Moffitt

    (Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
    Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
    Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
    Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham VA Healthcare System, Durham, NC 27705, USA)

Abstract

Prior research shows that individuals who have exhibited antisocial behavior are in poorer health than their same-aged peers. A major driver of poor health is aging itself, yet research has not investigated relationships between offending trajectories and biological aging. We tested the hypothesis that individuals following a life-course persistent (LCP) antisocial trajectory show accelerated aging in midlife. Trajectories of antisocial behavior from age 7 to 26 years were studied in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a population-representative birth cohort (N = 1037). Signs of aging were assessed at age 45 years using previously validated measures including biomarkers, clinical tests, and self-reports. First, we tested whether the association between antisocial behavior trajectories and midlife signs of faster aging represented a decline from initial childhood health. We then tested whether decline was attributable to tobacco smoking, antipsychotic medication use, debilitating illnesses in adulthood, adverse exposures in childhood (maltreatment, socioeconomic disadvantage) and adulthood (incarceration), and to childhood self-control difficulties. Study members with a history of antisocial behavior had a significantly faster pace of biological aging by midlife, and this was most evident among individuals following the LCP trajectory (β, 0.22, 95%CI, 0.14, 0.28, p ≤ 0.001). This amounted to 4.3 extra years of biological aging between ages 25–45 years for Study members following the LCP trajectory compared to low-antisocial trajectory individuals. LCP offenders also experienced more midlife difficulties with hearing (β, −0.14, 95%CI, −0.21, −0.08, p ≤ 0.001), balance (β, −0.13, 95%CI, −0.18, −0.06, p ≤ 0.001), gait speed (β, −0.18, 95%CI, −0.24, −0.10, p ≤ 0.001), and cognitive functioning (β, −0.25, 95%CI, −0.31, −0.18, p ≤ 0.001). Associations represented a decline from childhood health. Associations persisted after controlling individually for tobacco smoking, antipsychotic medication use, midlife illnesses, maltreatment, socioeconomic status, incarceration, and childhood self-control difficulties. However, the cumulative effect of these lifestyle characteristics together explained why LCP offenders have a faster Pace of Aging than their peers. While older adults typically age-out of crime, LCP offenders will likely age-into the healthcare system earlier than their chronologically same-aged peers. Preventing young people from offending is likely to have substantial benefits for health, and people engaging in a LCP trajectory of antisocial behaviors might be the most in need of health promotion programs. We offer prevention and intervention strategies to reduce the financial burden of offenders on healthcare systems and improve their wellbeing.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephanie Langevin & Ashalom Caspi & J. C. Barnes & Grace Brennan & Richie Poulton & Suzanne C. Purdy & Sandhya Ramrakha & Peter T. Tanksley & Peter R. Thorne & Graham Wilson & Terrie E. Moffitt, 2022. "Life-Course Persistent Antisocial Behavior and Accelerated Biological Aging in a Longitudinal Birth Cohort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-19, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:21:p:14402-:d:962280
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Terrie E. Moffitt, 2018. "Male antisocial behaviour in adolescence and beyond," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(3), pages 177-186, March.
    2. Andrew Steptoe & Steptoe Zaninotto, 2020. "Lower socioeconomic status and the acceleration of aging: An outcome-wide analysis," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 117(26), pages 14911-14917, June.
    3. Testa, Alexander & Semenza, Daniel, 2020. "Criminal offending and health over the life-course: A dual-trajectory approach," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
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