NCJ Number
190205
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 28 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2001 Pages: 450-470
Date Published
August 2001
Length
21 pages
Annotation
The study examined the likelihood that a discrete class of juveniles with antisocial behavior can be identified in childhood.
Abstract
A taxon is described as an “entity, type, syndrome, species, disease, or more generally, a nonarbitrary class.” Within psychopathology, there is evidence of taxonicity for a growing number of disorders. Taxometric analyses were applied to items assessing antisociality in children. These items were similar in content to several established measures of antisocial behavior in children: the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Conduct Disorder (DSM-IV CD); the Psychopathy Checklist-Youth Version (PCL-YV); and the Childhood and Adolescent Taxon Scale (CATS). It was hypothesized that persistent antisociality is underlain by a taxon, and those later found to be persistently antisocial in adulthood can be identified as seriously antisocial at a young age. Participants were 1,111 school-age boys from a community sample of students in a large urban area in the spring of 1996. Results indicated that a distinct class of boys who had already engaged in serious antisocial behavior can be identified in childhood. These findings supported the claim that lifelong persistent antisociality is underlain by a taxon. Longitudinal studies are required to determine whether boys who are identified as taxon members in childhood exhibit a lifelong pattern of antisocial conduct. Data also suggested that the serious antisociality construct can be indexed by items similar in content to both a measure of psychopathy, the PCL-YV, and serious antisocial behavior in children as indexed the DSM-IV CD criteria and the CATS items. 3 figures, 1 table, 37 references