Predictors of institutional behavioural disturbance and offending in the community among young offenders

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of conduct disorder (CD), substance misuse and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms to the history of delinquency, current institutional behavioural problems and critical incidents (CI). Fifty-four adolescents in a secure facility were screened for ADHD and CD and completed the Maudsley violence questionnaire, the disruptive behaviour and social problems scale and the self-report delinquency scale. Substance misuse history as well as CI over the previous 10 weeks were also recorded. Hierarchical multiple regressions showed that substance misuse and violent cognitions were the best predictors of self-reported delinquency. In contrast, ADHD predicted disruptive institutional behaviour above and beyond that of CD and substance misuse. The findings suggest that ADHD symptoms are important in predicting institutional behavioural disturbance, whereas substance misuse and violent cognitions are better predictors of delinquency in the community.

A Controlled Trial of a Cognitive Skills Program for Personality-Disordered Offenders

“…The Scottish cohort reported that ADHD symptoms predicted aggressive incidents documented in prison records, and this finding remained significant after controlling for antisocial personality traits (S. Young et al, 2009). This supports the findings from other research examining the association between ADHD symptoms and critical incidents in institutionalized youth offenders (S. Young, Gudjonsson, Misch, et al, 2010;S. Young, Misch, Collins, & Gudjonsson, 2011) and personalitydisordered offenders detained in forensic mental health settings (S. Young, Gudjonsson, Ball, & Lam, 2003).…”

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in persistent criminal offenders: the need for specialist treatment programs

“…One study found that ADHD offenders accounted for eight-times more aggressive incidents than other prisoners, and six-times more incidents when controlling for antisocial personality disorder, suggesting that ADHD contributes to disruptive behavior above and beyond antisocial personality disorder [12]. Similar findings of institutional aggression have been reported among personality disordered patients detained under the Mental Health Act [16] and in youth offending facilities [17]. The phenomenon may be explained by several contributing factors associated with ADHD including impulsive responding, mood instability and low frustration tolerance [18] and a chaotic/disorganized personality style [15].…”

Prevalence of psychiatric disorders among juvenile offenders in Malaysian prisons and association with socio-demographic and personal factors

“…The behavioural difficulties of a child with ADHD are often signals of worsening problems with no intervention made and the presence of CD complicates the picture (Loeber et al, 1992;Johnson et al, 2002;McReynolds et al, 2010;Loeber et al, 2000). Although the association was not statistically significant, other studies have found that ADHD is significantly associated with widespread co-morbidity in childhood, adolescence and in adulthood (Young et al, 2011). Many studies have concluded that the diagnosis of CD and ADHD in adolescents must be taken seriously as children with both conditions are at increased risk of aggression (Loeber et al, 2000) while others have noted the risk of becoming chronic offenders (Vreugdenhil et al, 2004;Young et al, 2011).…”