IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i21p14402-d962280.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/21/14402/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/21/14402/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    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).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ma, Haoling & Li, Dexian & Zhu, Xingchen, 2023. "Effects of parental involvement and family socioeconomic status on adolescent problem behaviors in China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Daniel J. Exeter & Olivia Healey & Jessie Colbert & Nichola Shackleton, 2023. "Developing SEP65: A Census-Derived Index of Socio-Economic Position Specifically for the Older Population in Aotearoa New Zealand," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 973-991, October.
    3. Klaudia Przybysz & Agnieszka Stanimir, 2023. "Measuring Activity—The Picture of Seniors in Poland and Other European Union Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, June.
    4. Eshaghnia, Sadegh S. M. & Heckman, James J. & Landersø, Rasmus, 2023. "Maximum Impact Intergenerational Associations," IZA Discussion Papers 16038, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Lais Sette Galinari & Marina Rezende Bazon, 2021. "Criminal Behavior and Psychosocial Risk Factors in Brazilian Adolescent Offenders: An Exploratory Latent Class Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-15, October.
    6. Edwards, Ben & Forrest, Walter & Vassallo, Suzanne & Greenwood, Christopher & Olsson, Craig A., 2019. "Depression and anxiety in adolescent and young adult offenders: A longitudinal study from 13 to 32 years using the Australian Temperament Project," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 87-93.
    7. James J. Heckman & Ganesh Karapakula, 2019. "The Perry Preschoolers at Late Midlife: A Study in Design-Specific Inference," Working Papers 2019-034, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    8. Maneiro, Lorena & Gómez-Fraguela, José Antonio & López-Romero, Laura & Cutrín, Olalla & Sobral, Jorge, 2019. "Risk profiles for antisocial behavior in adolescents placed in residential care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 278-286.
    9. Sivertsson, Fredrik & Carlsson, Christoffer & Almquist, Ylva B. & Brännström, Lars, 2024. "Offending trajectories from childhood to retirement age: Findings from the Stockholm birth cohort study," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    10. Ryan J. Scalsky & Yi-Ju Chen & Zhekang Ying & James A. Perry & Charles C. Hong, 2022. "The Social and Natural Environment’s Impact on SARS-CoV-2 Infections in the UK Biobank," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-9, January.
    11. Alexandro Fortunato & Annalisa Tanzilli & Vittorio Lingiardi & Anna Maria Speranza, 2022. "Personality Disorders in Childhood: Validity of the Coolidge Personality and Neuropsychological Inventory for Children (CPNI)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-14, March.
    12. Ana Belén Barragán Martín & María del Mar Molero Jurado & María del Carmen Pérez-Fuentes & María del Mar Simón Márquez & África Martos Martínez & Maria Sisto & José Jesús Gázquez Linares, 2021. "Study of Cyberbullying among Adolescents in Recent Years: A Bibliometric Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-11, March.
    13. Reising, Kim & Ttofi, Maria M. & Farrington, David P. & Piquero, Alex R., 2019. "Depression and anxiety outcomes of offending trajectories: A systematic review of prospective longitudinal studies," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 3-15.
    14. Sumera Batool & Nimra Zaffer & Saima Kausar, 2023. "Real vs Virtual Identity: A Contemporary Analysis of Social Displacement Accelerating Anti-social Behavior Among Youth," Journal of Policy Research (JPR), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 9(2), pages 750-759.
    15. Whitten, Tyson & Cale, Jesse & Nathan, Sally & Williams, Megan & Baldry, Eileen & Ferry, Mark & Hayen, Andrew, 2023. "Influence of a residential drug and alcohol program on young people's criminal conviction trajectories," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    16. Alexandro Fortunato & Annalisa Tanzilli & Vittorio Lingiardi & Anna Maria Speranza, 2021. "Childhood Personality Assessment Q-Sort (CPAP-Q): A Clinically and Empirically Procedure for Assessing Traits and Emerging Patterns of Personality in Childhood," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-20, June.
    17. Fahmy, Chantal & Mitchell, Meghan M., 2022. "Examining recidivism during reentry: Proposing a holistic model of health and wellbeing," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    18. Azad, Azade & Ginner Hau, Hanna, 2018. "Adolescent females with limited delinquency – At risk of school failure," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 384-396.
    19. Ming-Chang Chiang & Chiahui Yen & Hsiu-Li Chen, 2022. "Does Age Matter? Using Neuroscience Approaches to Understand Consumers’ Behavior towards Purchasing the Sustainable Product Online," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-15, September.
    20. Piquero, Alex R., 2023. "“We study the past to understand the present; we understand the present to guide the future”: The time capsule of developmental and life-course criminology," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:21:p:14402-:d:962280. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.