title: Predicting adult offending behavior for individuals who experienced a traumatic brain injury during childhood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether individuals who experienced a childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at increased risk for subsequent offending behavior, to identify the emotional characteristics of adults who experienced childhood TBI, and to examine whether these predict offending behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals from the Canterbury region who had experienced a childhood (<18 years of age) injury event and were now 18 years or older and more than 5 years postinjury (between 18 and 30 years of age). Three groups were formed: (1) moderate/severe TBI (n = 62); (2) mild TBI (n = 58); and (3) fracture control group (n = 38).
  
  
  METHODS
  University of Canterbury.
  
  
  METHODS
  A semistructured interview assessed lifetime involvement in offending behavior; the Emotional Behavior Scale measured internalizing and externalizing behaviors, including malevolent aggression, social anxiety, and social self-esteem.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with controls, there was an increased risk of offending behavior (mild TBI: odds ratio = 8.7; moderate/severe TBI odds ratio = 20.4). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the strongest predictors of offending behavior were TBI status, higher levels of malevolent aggression, and age at injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals who experienced childhood TBI are at increased risk of offending behavior. Emotional behavior measures were useful predictors of offending behavior, offering opportunity for intervention.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (Dr McKinlay); Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (Drs McKinlay, Grace, McLellan, and Roger), Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United Kingdom (Dr Clarbour); and Department of Neurosurgery, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand (Mr MacFarlane).
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McKinlay
authors.forename: Randolph C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Grace
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McLellan
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roger
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clarbour
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: MacFarlane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression; D001007:Anxiety; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D012919:Social Behavior; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology