Antisocial Behavior In Boys Leads To Poor Health In Men
April 9, 2007
A study of over 500 men born in the early 70s in Dunedin reveals that the
costs associated with antisocial behavior may be much higher than previously
thought. The research led by scientists from the MRC Social, Genetic and
Developmental Psychiatry Centre based at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's
College London is published in Archives of General Psychiatry.
Dr Candice Odgers and her colleagues report on a 30-year birth cohort study
involving men born in Dunedin between 1972 and 1973. Their research shows that
boys engaged in persistent antisocial behavior become men with poor physical
health. Health outcomes included injury, sexually transmitted diseases,
cardiovascular risk, immune function, and dental disease. Prior research has
demonstrated that childhood-onset and persistent antisocial behavior leads to
adult crime and mental disorder. This study is the first to demonstrate the link
with poor physical health outcomes in adulthood.
Compared to the average man, men engaged in childhood-onset and persistent
antisocial behavior were 2.9 times more likely to be above the clinical cut-off
for C-reactive protein, a marker of later heart disease and stroke, 2.2 times
more likely to have contracted the Herpes virus, and over 3 times more likely to
have symptoms of chronic bronchitis and gum disease. Young men who waited until
adolescence to initiate antisocial behavior were also at risk for poor outcomes
- although their physical health was not as compromised as their childhood-onset
and persistent counterparts.
The researchers also identified group of children who exhibited high levels of
antisocial behavior in childhood, but who reduced their antisocial behavior by
adolescence and were not experiencing physical health problems as adults. This
'childhood-limited' subgroup made up 25% of the men in the cohort, demonstrating
that while antisocial behavior is common in childhood it does not necessarily
lead to a life of crime and poor outcomes. Rather, the key factor in predicting
which children will experience poor health at age 32 was whether their
antisocial behavior persisted from childhood into young adulthood.
The findings suggest that prevention of antisocial behavior may provide an
opportunity to reduce a wide range of adult mental and physical health problems.
Findings also suggest that interventions with children exhibiting early
antisocial behavior may reduce their risk of experiencing poor physical health
in later life.
Dr Candice Odgers, lead author at the MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental
Psychiatry Centre, said: "Children and adolescents involved in antisocial behavior
are at risk for more than a life of crime as adults - findings from this study
demonstrate that the physical health of these boys may be at stake as well.
Prevention efforts to reduce antisocial behavior may help to combat not only
future crime and violence, but may also lessen the overall health burden to
individuals, families and their communities."
1. Prediction of Differential Adult Health Burden by Conduct Problem Subtypes in
Males is published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, archpsyc.ama-assn.org
Authors: Candice L. Odgers, Ph.D.; Avshalom Caspi, Ph.D.; Jonathan M Broadbent,
B.D.S.; Nigel Dickson, M.D.; Robert J. Hancox, M.D.; HonaLee Harrington, B.S.;
Richie Poulton, Ph.D.; Malcolm R. Sears, M.D.; W. Murray Thomson, Ph.D.; Terrie
E. Moffitt, Ph.D.
2. Universities involved: (1) MRC Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry
Centre, Box PO80, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London SE5 8AF, UK;
(2) Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Dunedin
School of Medicine, Box 913, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
3. Primary Funding Agencies:
-- U.K. Medical Research Council
-- U.S. National Institute of Mental Health
-- William T. Grant Foundation
-- Health Research Council of New Zealand
-- U.S. National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research
www.mrc.ac.uk