TY - JOUR
T1 - Evidence for a genetic etiology of early-onset delinquency
AU - Taylor, Jeanette
AU - Iacono, William G
AU - Mc Gue, Matt
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - Age at onset of antisocial behavior discriminates persistent and transitory offenders. The authors proposed that early-onset delinquency has an underlying genetic influence that manifests in problems related to inhibition, whereas late-onset delinquency is more environmentally mediated. To test these notions, they selected 36 early starters, 86 late starters, and 25 nondelinquent controls from a large sample of 11-year-old twins and compared them on several measures related to inhibition and a peer group measure. As expected, early starters had more psychological, behavioral, and emotional problems related to inhibition than late starters and controls. A longitudinal analysis indicated an increase in antisocial behavior among peers of late starters shortly before their delinquency onset. Family history data and a twin analysis provided evidence of greater genetic influence on early-onset than late-onset delinquency.
AB - Age at onset of antisocial behavior discriminates persistent and transitory offenders. The authors proposed that early-onset delinquency has an underlying genetic influence that manifests in problems related to inhibition, whereas late-onset delinquency is more environmentally mediated. To test these notions, they selected 36 early starters, 86 late starters, and 25 nondelinquent controls from a large sample of 11-year-old twins and compared them on several measures related to inhibition and a peer group measure. As expected, early starters had more psychological, behavioral, and emotional problems related to inhibition than late starters and controls. A longitudinal analysis indicated an increase in antisocial behavior among peers of late starters shortly before their delinquency onset. Family history data and a twin analysis provided evidence of greater genetic influence on early-onset than late-onset delinquency.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034493525&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034493525&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/0021-843X.109.4.634
DO - 10.1037/0021-843X.109.4.634
M3 - Article
C2 - 11195987
AN - SCOPUS:0034493525
SN - 0021-843X
VL - 109
SP - 634
EP - 643
JO - Journal of abnormal psychology
JF - Journal of abnormal psychology
IS - 4
ER -