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The Interplay of MAOA and Peer Influences in Predicting Adult Criminal Behavior

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Abstract

Evidence concerning the ability of genetic risk factors to moderate the effects of environments has continued to accumulate over the last decade or so. For the behavioral sciences, this means that genetic risk factors might interact with environmental triggers to influence various human outcomes, including antisocial and aggressive behaviors. The current study seeks to further expand this line of inquiry by examining data drawn from the National Youth Survey Family Study. More specifically, we examined whether a polymorphism in the promoter region of the MAOA gene might condition the influence of exposure to deviant peer groups in the prediction of criminogenic behavior. Our findings offer some mixed evidence that genotype might condition the influence of delinquent peer affiliation on antisocial behavior during the course of human development.

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Notes

  1. In order to reduce the chance of obtaining false-positive results (Type-I errors) on identifying at least one significant predictor when multiple hypotheses were tested simultaneously, the Bonferroni correction was used to adjust the critical p value. Thus, the new critical p value would be 0.01.

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Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank Dr. Brian B. Boutwell who provided the effective guidance on structuring this paper and the helpful suggestions to improve this paper.

Funding

This study did not receive any funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Sam Houston State University, P.O. Box 2296, Huntsville, TX, 77341-2296, USA

    Yi-Fen Lu & Scott Menard

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  1. Yi-Fen Lu
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Correspondence to Yi-Fen Lu.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This study is a retrospective study. For this type of study formal consent is not required.

Appendix: Measurement of Multiple-Item

Appendix: Measurement of Multiple-Item

Minor Offending Items (Wave 11)

How many times in the past year have you…

  • Purposely damaged property belonging to your parents or other family members?

  • Purposely damaged or destroyed other property that did not belong to you?

  • Taken a vehicle for a ride or drive without the owner’s permission?

  • Stolen or tried to steal something worth less than $5?

  • Stolen or tried to steal something worth $5–$50?

  • Hit or threatened to hit one of your parents?

  • Hit or threatened to hit your supervisor or someone else at work (or other employee at work)?

  • Hit or threatened to hit anyone else (other than parents or people at school or work)?

Index Offending Items (Wave 11)

How many times in the past year have you…

  • Stolen or tried to steal a motor vehicle such as a car or motorcycle?

  • Broken into a building or vehicle, or tried to break in, to steal something or just to look around?

  • Stolen or tried to steal something worth $50–$100?

  • Stolen or tried to steal something worth $100 or more?

  • Used force (strong-arm methods) to get money or things from other people (besides students or teachers)?

  • Had or tried to have sexual relations with someone against their will?

  • Attacked someone with the idea of seriously hurting or killing them?

  • Hit or beat someone up so badly that they probably needed a doctor?

  • Been involved in gang fights?

Delinquent Peers Items (Wave 10)

How many friends during the past year…

  • Cheated on their income tax?

  • Purposely damaged or destroyed property that did not belong to them?

  • Used marijuana or hashish?

  • Stolen something worth less than $5?

  • Hit or threatened to hit someone without any reason?

  • Broken into a vehicle or building to steal something?

  • Sold hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and LSD?

  • Stolen something worth more than $50?

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Lu, YF., Menard, S. The Interplay of MAOA and Peer Influences in Predicting Adult Criminal Behavior. Psychiatr Q 88, 115–128 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-016-9441-3

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