Bone lead levels and delinquent behavior.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between body lead burden and social adjustment.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
Public school community.


METHODS
From a population of 850 boys in the first grade at public schools, 503 were selected on the basis of a risk scale for antisocial behavior. All of the 850 boys who scored in the upper 30th percentile of the distribution on a self-reported antisocial behavior scale were matched with an equal number drawn by lot from the lower 70% of the distribution. From this sample, 301 students accepted the invitation to participate. EXPOSURE MEASURE: K x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy of tibia at subjects' age of 12 years.


METHODS
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), teachers' and parents' reports, and subjects' self-report of antisocial behavior and delinquency at 7 and 11 years of age.


RESULTS
Subjects, teachers, and parents were blind to the bone lead measurements. At 7 years of age, borderline associations between teachers' aggression, delinquency, and externalizing scores and lead levels were observed after adjustment for covariates. At 11 years of age, parents reported a significant lead-related association with the following CBCL cluster scores: somatic complaints and delinquent, aggressive, internalizing, and externalizing behavior. Teachers reported significant associations of lead with somatic complaints, anxious/depressed behavior, social problems, attention problems, and delinquent, aggressive, internalizing, and externalizing behavior. High-lead subjects reported higher scores in subjects' self-reports of delinquency at 11 years. High-lead subjects were more likely to obtain worse scores on all items of the CBCL during the 4-year period of observation. High bone lead levels were associated with an increased risk of exceeding the clinical score (T > 70) for attention, aggression, and delinquency.


CONCLUSIONS
Lead exposure is associated with increased risk for antisocial and delinquent behavior, and the effect follows a developmental course.
Needleman
H L
HL
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh (Pa) School of Medicine, USA.
Riess
J A
JA
Tobin
M J
MJ
Biesecker
G E
GE
Greenhouse
J B
JB
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D014888:Wechsler Scales
D007854:Lead