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Patterns and Precursors of Adolescent Anti-Social Behaviour

Title: Patterns and Precursors of Adolescent Anti-Social Behaviour
Author: Australian Institute of Family Studies and Crime Prevention Victoria
Number of pages: 72  (8 for summary)
Date Published: October 2003

This study followed the development of nearly 2500 children in the Victoria area of Australia from infancy through to young adulthood. By taking regular observations of the children's development over 20 years, it has been possible to build up a picture of the early indicators of anti-social behaviour in adolescents first occur and what these precursors are.

3 groups of 17-18 year old anti-social youths were found

• a primarily violent group (26 boys, 14 girls)

• a primarily non-violent group (43 boys, 37 girls)

• a group engaging in both anti-social behavioural types - the 'dual problem' group (29 boys, 5 girls)

The report attempts to answer 4 questions

• Are the precursors and pathways for violent and non-violent adolescent antisocial behaviour similar or different?

• What factors or characteristics prevent ‘at-risk’ children from engaging in later adolescent antisocial behaviour?

• Do the characteristics of local areas influence engagement in adolescent antisocial behaviour, and if so, how?

• How common is antisocial behaviour at 19-20 years of age and does the nature and frequency of antisocial acts change over the adolescent years?

Precursors of violent and non violent anti-social behaviour

Developmental pathways

The study looked at 'development pathways' - i. e. how individual children or groups of children developed over a number years. The 3 anti-social groups were compared to a non-anti-social group to identify how each anti-social group differed from a 'normal' developmental pathway, and exploring the risk patterns displayed by each group.

The 3 anti-social groups diverged from the 'normal' comparison developmental pathway at different ages:

• the dual problem group was noticeably different in early childhood

• the non-violent group was consistently different from mid-to late-childhood

• the violent group differed in adolescence.

Specific precursors for violent and non-violent adolescent anti-social behaviour

All 3 anti-social groups were more problematic than the comparison group on a range of characteristics. Precursors common to all 3 anti-social groups were:

• aggression

• difficulties in tasks perseverance

• school adjustment difficulties

• lower social skills.

Critical times

• The study found that development pathways can be changed in late childhood and early adolescence. Intervention can still be successful at this stage.

• There appears to be a critical transition point between the ages of 12-13 and 13-14.

• Those participating in anti-social behaviour had experienced greater than usual school adjustment difficulties

Location effects on adolescent anti-social behaviour

It has been suggested that local area or community characteristics may directly impact adolescent anti-social behaviour by motivating an individual to offend. Location characteristics included in the study were:

• unemployment rates

• average weekly income 

• economic resources

• recorded crime rates

• proportion of lone-parent families

• relative socioeconomic disadvantage

• growth rates

• education and occupation.

The investigation findings revealed no direct local area effects upon behaviour. It appears living in disadvantaged or high crime areas did not appear to increase persistent adolescent anti-social behaviour.

Patterns of anti-social behaviour at 19-20 years of age

Research has shown that anti-social behaviour is most prevalent among the mid-adolescent age group. The study reviewed the behaviour of the group at 19-20 years and compared this to behaviour found at earlier ages.

Individuals were asked to describe their different types of anti-social behaviour, indicating substance abuse as the most common type:

• alcohol (89%)

• tobacco (38%)

• avoiding payment for services (38%) 

• being drunk in a public place (66%) 

• heroin or ecstasy (1%) 

• a physical fight (16%) 

• damaging property (13%) 

• marijuana use (22%).

Overall individual police involvement the past 12 months

• driving offences (20%) 

• other types of offences.(5%)

• individuals committing 1 or more types of anti-social acts within the past year (46%)

• fewer than 1 in 5 individuals had frequently engaged in high levels of anti-social behaviour.

The study found that fewer individuals were engaging in anti-social behaviour at 19-20 years than had been at age 15-16 (the peak age for engagement in ASB). The study also found that those engaging in such acts were less prolific than they had been at 15-16 years.

More information

• Download the summary of "Patterns and Precursors of Adolescent Anti-Social Behaviour" PDF 298Kb 

Date modified: 21 October 2003
Review date:  October 2004
Originator:  Crime Reduction Information Services

Last update: Tuesday, August 26, 2008