Evidence for a genetic etiology of early-onset delinquency.
Age at onset of antisocial behavior discriminates persistent and transitory offenders. The authors proposed that early-onset delinquency has an underlying genetic influence that manifests in problems related to inhibition, whereas late-onset delinquency is more environmentally mediated. To test these notions, they selected 36 early starters, 86 late starters, and 25 nondelinquent controls from a large sample of 11-year-old twins and compared them on several measures related to inhibition and a peer group measure. As expected, early starters had more psychological, behavioral, and emotional problems related to inhibition than late starters and controls. A longitudinal analysis indicated an increase an antisocial behavior among peers of late starters shortly before their delinquency onset. Family history data and a twin analysis provided evidence of greater genetic influence on early-onset than late-onset delinquency.
Taylor
J
J
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus, USA. taylor@psy.fsu.edu
Iacono
W G
WG
McGue
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment