Associations between violence, criminality, and cognitive control deficits among young men living in low resource communities in South Africa

Abstract

Despite empirical support for "Self-control theory" in criminology, there is controversy about how self-control should be operationalized. Working within the framework of "self-control theory," we investigated if violence and criminal behaviors are associated with nine distinct dimensions of cognitive control in a community sample of young men (n = 654) living in peri-urban townships in South Africa. Cognitive control was assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. Multivariate statistical analysis was used, to identify associations between violence and criminality, and deaggregated measures of nine distinct components of cognitive control. Fifteen percent of the sample reported recent violence, 27% had been in physical fights with family/friends in the preceding 6 months, 10% reported being arrested, 4% reported forced sexual contact, and 26% reported intimate partner violence (IPV). Controlling for substance use and sociodemographic variables, contact with the criminal justice system and violence were associated with deficits in all domains of cognitive control. Forced sexual contact was associated with behavioral dysregulation. IPV was associated with behavior dysregulation and executive control dysfunction. Future studies might utilize deaggregated measures of self-control to provide further insight into links between particular components of cognitive control and various forms of offending and violence.

Association between mental health and executive dysfunction and the moderating effect of urban–rural subpopulation in general adolescents from Shangrao, China: a population-based cross-sectional study

“…One potential consequence of poor mental health is impairment to executive functions (EFs),2 which refer to a collection of top-down mental processes against one’s bottom-up automatic actions (including three core subcomponents: inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility) that are necessary to make decisions and engage in purposeful, goal-driven and future-oriented behaviours 3. Executive dysfunction (EDF), also known as EF impairment, can negatively impact physical health (eg, obesity, overeating and poor treatment adherence),4 5 result in antisocial behaviour (eg, aggression, violence and and criminality),6 7 and hinder academic and career success (eg, poor school readiness and work productivity) 8…”

Sociological Theories to Explain Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

“…Specifically, low self-control is characterized by impulsivity, poor planning, and lack of insight into consequences. Among men residing in Johannesburg, South Africa, IPV perpetration was associated with executive control dysfunction and behavior dysregulation ( Bantjes et al, 2020 ). One study combined strain and self-control theories, finding that strain (i.e., childhood physical abuse and an unsatisfactory marital relationship) was significantly associated with male perpetration of physical and psychological IPV and that higher self-control was protective against IPV perpetration among men in Hong Kong ( Cheung et al, 2014 ).…”

Self-control in criminology: we need a broader conceptualization and links to psychiatric diagnoses

“…Is it an issue of compassion rather than aggression? With respect to the biological underpinning we know that at least two distinct functional networks are involved, one of which is partially subcortical ( Bantjes et al, 2020 ).…”

“…With respect to the brain, the most basic models of impulsivity are the clinical Utilization syndrome ( L’Hermitte, 1983 ) and the response inhibition paradigm ( Polner et al, 2015 ; Kolodny et al, 2020 ), both implicating dysfunctions in the orbito-medial parts of the pre-frontal areas ( Wåhlstedt et al, 2009 ; Tompson et al, 2020 ). With respect to affect control, two systems are involved: a sub-cortical one (the primitive mammal brain, i.e., the limbic system and certain nuclei) and a cortical one with pre-frontal areas being most important ( Bantjes et al, 2020 ). Affect incontinence is a well-known clinical phenomenon in frontal lobe dysfunction, first described scientifically by Rylander (1939) .…”