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Severity and Frequency of Antisocial Behaviors: Late Adolescence/Young Adulthood Antisocial Behavior Index

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Abstract

Objectives

An Antisocial Behavior index (ASB-I) for children (ages 5 to 15) was previously developed by obtaining clinician ratings of the seriousness or severity of various behaviors with the goal of improving assessment of antisocial behaviors (ASB) longitudinally. We extend the instrument for use in late adolescence/young adulthood, as socially unacceptable conduct manifests differently across developmental stages. As in the original study, this extension (the ASB-I YA) is based on independent ratings of ASB seriousness/severity during late adolescence/young adulthood (16 to 28 years) made by nine experienced clinicians.

Methods

The items rated were drawn from the Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder schedules of the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC-IV) and the Elliott Delinquency scales, plus new or modified items developmentally appropriate for late adolescence/young adulthood. Specific ratings were based on the developmental stage and reported frequency of the behaviors. The study also describes the distribution of ASB-I YA scores in the Boricua Youth Study.

Results

Reliability was substantial for the average ratings of each subscale and for the total score [ICC(3,9): 0.88 to 0.95]. Certain items were rated as more severe when occurring in late adolescence/young adulthood compared to childhood/early adolescence (e.g., hitting someone on purpose); however, most ratings were similar across developmental periods. Most importantly, raters reliably and consistently rated the items describing ASB in young adulthood, allowing the computation of the ASB-I YA score 8.

Conclusions

Together with the ASB-I, the ASB-I YA can further advance the study of ASB progression from childhood into young adulthood.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Terrie Moffitt for providing antisocial behavior items developmentally specific to the young adulthood period to be used in the Boricua Youth Study. The authors are also thankful to all Boricua Youth Study participants, study staff and the clinicians who so graciously donated their time and expertise.

Author Contributions

C.S.D.: designed and executed the study, planned data analyses, and wrote the paper. J.K.: supported execution of the study and data analysis, and wrote the paper. K.E.: collaborated with the design and writing and editing of the study. P.E.S.: collaborated in the design and data analysis, and wrote part of the paper. G.C.: collaborated with the design and writing and editing of the study. R.E.: analyzed the data and wrote part of the results. A.O.: collaborated with the design, data collection and writing and editing of the study. M.H.-C.: collaborated with the design, data collection and writing of the study. T.C.: analyzed the data and wrote part of the results. HB: designed and executed the study, planned data analyses, and writing and editing of the final paper.

Funding

The study is supported by the National Institutes of Health (grant number MH098374). The Boricua Youth Study was funded by the National Institute of Health [MH56401 (Bird), DA033172 (Duarte), AA020191 (Duarte), MH098374 (Alegria, Canino, Duarte)].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit# 43, New York, NY, USA

    Cristiane S. Duarte, Jaimie Klotz, Marjorine Henriquez-Castillo & Thomas Corbeil

  2. Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Katherine Elkington & Hector Bird

  3. New York University, New York, NY, USA

    Patrick E. Shrout

  4. University of Puerto Rico Medical Campus, San Juan, PR, USA

    Glorisa Canino

  5. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Ruth Eisenberg

  6. Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA

    Ana Ortin

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  1. Cristiane S. Duarte
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  3. Katherine Elkington
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Correspondence to Cristiane S. Duarte.

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The research was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committees (New York State Psychiatric Institute and University of Puerto Rico).

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Duarte, C.S., Klotz, J., Elkington, K. et al. Severity and Frequency of Antisocial Behaviors: Late Adolescence/Young Adulthood Antisocial Behavior Index. J Child Fam Stud 29, 1200–1211 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01661-9

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