FUNCTIONAL ANOMALIES IN E E G'S (ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM) OF A GROUP OF ZAIRIAN JUVENILE DELINQUENTS

• NCJ Number: 44127
• Journal: CAHIERS DE CRIMINOLOGIE ET DE PATHOLOGIE SOCIALE Volume: 1 Issue: 7 Dated: (1974) Pages: 75-89
• Author(s): H J CLARYSSE
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Universite Catholique de Louvain
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: French
• Country: Belgium

Annotation

RESULTS OF A STUDY ON ZAIRIAN MALE DELINQUENTS SHOWED THAT SIGNIFICANT LEVELS OF ABNORMAL RHYTHM WERE PRESENT IN THEIR E.E.G.'S, SUGGESTING THAT BRAIN DYSFUNCTION OR LACK OF MATURATION PLAYS A PART IN THEIR DELINQUENCY.

Abstract

E.E.G.'S PERFORMED ON 80 BOYS BETWEEN 13 AND 16 YEARS OLD AT THE BENSEKE REFORMATORY-SCHOOL FOR MINORS IN KINSHASA, ZAIRE, SHOWED ANOMALIES AND WERE OFTEN SUBNORMAL. A TEST GROUP OF 14 BENSEKE YOUTHS IN ONE CLASS LEVEL WAS CHOSEN, ALONG WITH A CONTROL GROUP FROM THE AREA CORRESPONDING IN AGE, TRIBE, INTELLIGENCE, SOCIAL CLASS, AND NUMBER OF YEARS IN RESIDENCE AT KINSHASA. AFTER EXTENSIVE BRAIN-WAVE TESTING, IT WAS FOUND THAT 11 BENSEKE DELINQUENTS SHOWED A SERIOUS DYSRHYTHMIA (VARIATION IN THETA WAVE) IN THE E.E.G.'S; THERE WAS A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT (AT THE 0.025 LEVEL) DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DYSRHYTHMIA FACTORS OF THE TWO GROUPS. THE BENSEKE YOUTHS WERE CLASSED AS FOLLOWS: 4 WERE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS, 4 WERE AT THE BORDERLINE OF NORMAL, 4 WERE SLIGHTLY PATHOLOGICAL, AND 2 WERE PATHOLOGICAL. THE CONTROL GROUP INCLUDED 12 WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS, 1 AT THE BORDERLINE, 1 SLIGHTLY PATHOLOGICAL, AND NO PATHOLOGICALS. IN TERMS OF THE TWO CATEGORIES, 4 BENSEKE YOUTHS WERE NORMAL AND 10 WERE SUBNORMAL, WHILE 12 CONTROL YOUTHS WERE NORMAL, WITH ONLY 2 SUBNORMAL; THE LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE OVERALL GRAPHING WAS 0.005. THE BENSEKE YOUTHS ARE REGARDED AS EXAMPLES OF RETARDED CEREBRAL MATURATION ACCOMPANIED BY A LACK OF MATURITY IN TERMS OF PSYCHOMOTOR SKILLS, WITH IRREGULARITY AND INSTABILITY OF MOTOR STYLE AND A LACK OF CONTROL. IMMATURITY AND EMOTIONALITY ARE SEEN AS KEY FACTORS IN A COMPLEX SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM WHICH LEADS THE YOUTHS TO STAND OUT IN SOCIETY; SOCIAL LABELING WOULD FINALLY RESULT IN BRINGING THESE YOUTHS TO A COURT OF LAW. FURTHER STUDY INVOLVING MORE SUBJECTS IS RECOMMENDED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE PRESENTED IN TABULAR FORM, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. -- IN FRENCH.