NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VIOLENT AND NONVIOLENT ADOLESCENTS

• NCJ Number: 54695
• Journal: Journal of Clinical Psychology Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1977) Pages: 966-969
• Author(s): F SPELLACY
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 4 pages
• Grant Number(s): 609-7-306
• Sponsoring Agency: Canada Ministry of National Health and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Clinical Psychology Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

USING MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY (MMPI) AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TEST SCORES, THIS STUDY EXAMINES NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 40 VIOLENT AND 40 NONVIOLENT ADOLESCENT MALES.

Abstract

THE SUBJECTS ARE STUDENTS FROM A MALE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT SCHOOL, AND WERE IDENTIFIED AS VIOLENT OR NONVIOLENT BY PROFESSIONAL STAFF BASED ON INTRAINSTITUTIONAL BEHAVIOR. AMONG THE VIOLENT GROUP ARE 33 CAUCASIANS AND 7 AMERICAN INDIANS, AND AMONG THE NONVIOLENT GROUP ARE 33 CAUCASIANS AND 4 INDIANS. MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF SCORES SHOWS SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS ON NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS (THE VIOLENT GROUP IS CONSISTENTLY POORER IN COGNITIVE, PERCEPTUAL, AND PSYCHOMOTOR ABILITIES), BUT NOT ON THE MMPI. DISCRIMINANT FUNCTION ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT HAS GREATER POWER TO PREDICT GROUP MEMBERSHIP OF VIOLENT AND NONVIOLENT SUBJECTS THAN THE MMPI. THE RESULTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE HYPOTHESIS THAT ORGANIC IMPAIRMENT CONTRIBUTES TO THE IMPULSE DYSCONTROL AND ASSOCIATED VIOLENT BEHAVIOR IN SOME DELINQUENT ADOLESCENTS. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)