Problem behaviours in abused and neglected children grown up: prevalence and co‐occurrence of substance abuse, crime and violence

Abstract

This paper describes the prevalence of and patterns of overlap among four problem behaviours (alcohol abuse, drug abuse, non-violent crime and violence) in abused and neglected children grown up. Using data from a prospective cohort design study, abused and neglected children were matched with a control group and followed up into adulthood (n = 1190). After controlling for parental alcohol and drug problems, parental arrest, childhood poverty and ethnicity, we found that abused and neglected females, but not males, are at significantly higher risk for substance abuse/dependence diagnoses and arrests for violent crimes than control group subjects. Abused and neglected males and females, as compared with controls, have higher rates of comorbidity for substance abuse and non-violent arrests. Abused and neglected females are at greater risk for comorbidity for substance abuse and violent arrests as well, as compared with control females. Overall, the results reveal gender differences in the consequences of childhood victimisation.

Child Neglect and Its Association With Subsequent Juvenile Drug and Alcohol Offense

“…This study confirms males are more likely than females to commit juvenile drug and alcohol offense in both the neglect victim and control groups. Although previous evidence suggests that the effects of child abuse and neglect could narrow the gender difference effects for subsequent [end of page 283] drug and alcohol offense (Horwitz et al 2001;Schuck and Widom 2003;Widom and White 1997), our study found significant gender effect on juvenile drug and alcohol abuse behaviors for child neglect victims. Not only are boys at greater risk of being the target of child abuse and neglect, but childhood neglect also exercises greater negative influence on boys.…”

“…In general, male adolescents and adults are more likely than their female counterparts to use alcohol or other drugs, and commit a drug and alcohol offense (Johnston et al 2004;Widom and White 1997). This study confirms males are more likely than females to commit juvenile drug and alcohol offense in both the neglect victim and control groups.…”

“…The data from Childhood Victimization and Delinquency, Adult Criminality, and Violent Criminal Behavior in a Large Urban County in the Northwest United States, 1980-1997(English and Widom 2003 were originally collected by Diane J. English and Cathy Spatz Widom with funding support from National Institute of Justice (grant number 97-IJ-CX-0017).…”

“…Since childhood neglect is associated with effects that are often unique from childhood abuse but no less severe than the effects of physical and sexual abuse (Dubowitz 2007), there is a dire need to conduct research that would distinguish the long term impact of neglect alone on a child from that of other forms of maltreatment. While Widom and White (1997) discovered that childhood maltreatment is significantly related to adult alcoholism and substance abuse, they did not however examine these behaviors during their critical developmental phase-adolescence, which could very likely shed light on the various pathways that child neglect may lead to drug and alcohol abuse over the entire maturity period from childhood to adulthood. This consideration leads to some interesting questions; could the effect of child neglect directly link to adolescent substance abuse behaviors?…”

Nipping psychopathy in the bud: an examination of the convergent, predictive, and theoretical utility of the PCL‐YV among adolescent girls

“…In the process of attempting to understand the potential of psychopathy research to inform the study of girls' aggression it is important to also consider domains of risk that have been highlighted as particularly relevant for girls. Within the larger developmental and clinical literature there is a large body of empirical evidence that links child maltreatment to youth violence (Fergusson & Lynskey, 1997;Smith & Thornberry, 1995;Widom & White, 1997) and a growing body of theoretical and empirical work linking maltreatment experiences and violence within the context of close relationships (Wekerle & Wolfe, 2003;Wolfe, Wekerle, Reitzel-Jaffe, & Lefebvre, 1998).…”