Hyperactive boys almost grown up. IV. Criminality and its relationship to psychiatric status.
Attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity is believed, by some, to be a developmental antecedent (predisposing factor) to antisocial personality disorder and criminality. However, evidence supporting this association has not been consistent. We report on a prospective follow-up study of 103 males (ages 16 to 23 years), who were diagnosed as hyperactive (attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity) between ages 6 and 12 years, and 100 normal controls. The official arrest records of all subjects who resided in New York State during the follow-up interval were obtained. Blind diagnoses (based on structured interviews with subjects and their parents) were made on 98% of the initial cohort at follow-up. Although other investigators have reported on the delinquent behavior of hyperactive children in a prospective design, to our knowledge, follow-up mental status has not been studied previously in relation to official arrest records. Significantly more probands than controls had been arrested (39% vs 20%), convicted (28% vs 11%), and incarcerated (9% vs 1%). The presence of an antisocial/conduct disorder in young adulthood almost completely accounted for the increased risk for criminal activities in the former hyperactive children whether or not it was accompanied by a substance use disorder. Continuing attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity at follow-up, by itself, was not associated with arrest history. The findings support the view that childhood attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity is a risk factor for later criminality, but that this relationship is almost exclusively mediated by the development of an antisocial disorder in early adulthood.
Mannuzza
S
S
New York State Psychiatric Institute, Department of Clinical Psychology, New York 10032.
Klein
R G
RG
Konig
P H
PH
Giampino
T L
TL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D003415:Crime; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D011329:Prisoners; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012926:Social Control, Formal