The relationship between types of childhood victimisation and young adulthood criminality.
BACKGROUND
Previous research suggests that some types of childhood abuse and neglect are related to an increased likelihood of perpetrating criminal behaviour in adulthood. Little research, however, has examined associations between multiple different types of childhood victimisation and adult criminal behaviour.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to examine the contribution of multiple and diverse childhood victimisations on adult criminal behaviour. Our central hypothesis was that, after controlling for gender, substance use and psychopathy, each type of childhood victimisation - specifically experience of property offences, physical violence, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and witnessed violence - would be positively and independently related to criminal behaviour in young adults.


METHODS
We examined data from a large, nationally representative sample of 2244 young Swedish adults who reported at least one form of victimisation, using hierarchical regression analysis to also account for gender, substance use and psychopathy.


RESULTS
Experiences of physical assaults, neglect and witnessing violence as a child were significantly associated with adult criminal behaviour, but not experiences of property, verbal or sexual victimizations.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings help to identify those forms of harm to children that are most likely to be associated with later criminality. Even after accounting for gender, substance misuse and psychopathology, childhood experience of violence - directly or as a witness - carries risk for adulthood criminal behaviour, so such children need targeted support and treatment. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, 356 Psychology Building, Memphis, TN, 38152-3230, USA.
Kathryn H
KH
Howell
Örebro University, 701 82, Örebro, Sweden.
Åsa K
ÅK
Cater
University of Notre Dame, 107 Haggar Hall, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA.
Laura E
LE
Miller-Graff
Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, 356 Psychology Building, Memphis, TN, 38152-3230, USA.
Laura E
LE
Schwartz
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1043, USA.
Sandra A
SA
Graham-Bermann
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D058445:Bullying; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057237:Criminals / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017579:Domestic Violence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D013548:Sweden; D014754:Violence; D055815:Young Adult