Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T19:08:03.278Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Neuropsychological assessment of executive functions in self-reported delinquents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 October 2008

Terrie E. Moffitt  and
Bill Henry
Terrie E. Moffitt
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Bill Henry
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Deficits in “executive” neuropsychological functions have been proposed to underlie the development of antisocial behavior such as juvenile delinquency. Results of research into the executive functions of delinquents have been mixed, and studies have been hampered by reliance on small samples of adjudicated subjects and questionable validity of the tests administered. This research examined the performance of a large unselected birth cohort of adolescent boys and girls on five tests of executive function that have documented reliability and validity. It is the first such study to use self-reports of antisocial behavior. Executive deficits were shown only by a subgroup of delinquent subjects with childhood comorbidity of antisocial behavior and attention deficit disorder; that subgroup's behavior was also rated as more aggressive and impulsive than comparison groups'. Group differences on executive measures remained significant after the effects of overall IQ were statistically controlled. Also, delinquents who had been detected by police did not show poorer executive functions than subjects with equivalent self-reports of delinquent behavior who had evaded official detection, suggesting that executive deficits are related to the development of antisocial behavior itself, and not simply to risk of detection.

Type
Research Article
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , April 1989 , pp. 105 - 118
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, J., Williams, S., McGee, R., & Silva, P. A. (1987). The prevalence of DSM-III disorders in a large sample of preadolescent children from the general population. Archives of General Psychiatry, 44, 69–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Appellof, E. S., & Augustine, E. A. (1985). Prefrontal functions in juvenile delinquents. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 7, 79–109.Google Scholar
Berg, E. A. (1948). A simple objective test for measuring flexibility in thinking. Journal of General Psychology, 39, 15–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berman, A., & Siegal, A. (1976). Adaptive and learning skills in juvenile delinquents: A neuropsychological analysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 9, 51–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brickman, A. S., McManus, M. M., Grapentine, W. L., & Alessi, N. (1984). Neuropsychological assessment of seriously delinquent adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 23, 453–457.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buikhuisen, W. (1987). Cerebral dysfunctions and persistent juvenile delinquency. In Mednick, S. A. & Moffitt, T. E. (Eds.), The causes of crime: New biological approaches (pp. 168–184). New York: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cohen, J. (1959). The factorial structure of the WISC at ages 7–6, 10–6, and 13–6. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 26, 285–299.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cohen, R., Semple, W., Gross, M., Holcomb, H., Dowling, M., & Nordahl, T. (1988). Functional localization of sustained attention: Comparison to sensory stimulation in the absence of instruction. Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology, and Behavioral Neurology, 1, 3–20.Google Scholar
Costello, A., Edelbrock, C., Kalas, R., Kessler, M., & Klaric, S. (1982). Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children – Child Version. Bethesda, MD: NIMH.Google Scholar
Cox, D. R., & Evans, R. W. (1987). Measures of frontal-lobe functioning in bright children. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 9, 28.Google Scholar
Elley, W. B., & Irving, J. C. (1976). Revised socio-economic index for New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 11, 25–36.Google Scholar
Farrington, D. P. (1983). Offending from 10 to 25 years of age. In Van Dusen, K. & Mednick, S. A., (Eds.), Prospective studies of crime and delinquency (pp. 17–38). Boston: Kluwer-Nijhoff.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farrington, D. P., Loeber, R., & van Kammen, W. B. (1987, 10). Long-term criminal outcomes of hyperactivity-impulsivity-attention deficit and conduct problems in childhood. Paper presented at the Meetings of the Society for Life History Research, St. Louis, MO.Google Scholar
Fuster, J. M. (1980). The prefrontal cortex. New York: Raven.Google Scholar
Gorenstein, E. E. (1982). Frontal lobe functions in psychopaths. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 91, 368–379.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hare, R. D. (1984). Performance of psychopaths on cognitive tasks related to frontal lobe function. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 93, 133–140.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Heaton, R. K. (1981). A Manual for the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.Google Scholar
Hinshaw, S. P. (1987). On the distinction between attentional deficits/hyperactivity and conduct problems/aggression in child psychopathology. Psychological Bulletin, 101, 443–463.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hurwitz, I., Bibace, R., Wolff, P., & Rowbotham, B. (1972). Neurological function of normal boys, delinquent boys, and boys with learning problems. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 35, 387–394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karniski, W. M., Levine, M. D., Clarke, S., Palfrey, J. S., & Meltzer, L. J. (1982). A study of neurodevelopmental findings in early adolescent delinquents. Journal of Adolescent Health Care, 3, 151–159.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kolb, B., & Whishaw, I. Q. (1985). Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology (2nd ed.). New York: W. H. Freeman.Google Scholar
Krynicki, V. E. (1978). Cerebral dysfunction in repetitively assaultive offenders. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 166, 59–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lewinsohn, P. M. (1973). Psychological assessments of patients with brain injury. Unpublished manuscript, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.Google Scholar
Lezak, M. D. (1983). Neuropsychological assessment. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Loeber, R., & Dishion, T. (1983). Early predictors of male delinquency: A review. Psychological Bulletin, 94, 68–99.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Loney, J., Whaley-Klahn, M., Koiser, T., & Conboy, J. (1983). Hyperactive boys and their brothers at 21: Predictors of aggressive and antisocial outcome. In Van Dusen, K. T. & Mednick, S. A. (Eds.), Prospective studies of crime and delinquency (pp. 181–208). Dordrecht: Kluwer-Nijhoff.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lou, H. C., Henriksen, L., & Bruhn, P. (1984). Focal cerebral hypoperfusion in children with dysphasia and/or attention deficit disorder. Archives of Neurology, 41, 825–829.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McGee, R. (1985). Response Rates at Phase XI of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study. Unpublished report, Dunedin Multi-disciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand.Google Scholar
McGee, R., & Silva, P. A. (1982). A thousand New Zealand children: Their health and development from birth to seven (Special Report Series Number 8). Auckland: Medical Research Council of New Zealand.Google Scholar
McGee, R., Williams, S., & Silva, P. A. (1985). Factor structure and correlates of ratings of inattention, hyperactivity, and antisocial behavior in a large sample of 9-year-old children from the general population. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53, 480–490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, L. J., Burdg, N. B., & Carpenter, D. (1980). Application of recategorized WISC-R scores for adjudicated adolescents. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 51, 187–191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Milner, B. (1963). Effects of different brain lesions on card sorting. Archives of Neurology, 9, 90–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milner, B. (1964). Some effects of frontal lobectomy in man. In Warren, J. M. & Akert, K. (Eds.), The frontal granular cortex and behavior (pp. 313–334). New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Milner, B. (1975). Psychological aspects of focal epilepsy and its neurological management. In Purpura, D. P., Penry, J. K., & Walter, R. D. (Eds.), Advances in neurology (Vol. 8, pp. 75–89). New York: Raven.Google Scholar
Milner, B., & Petrides, M. (1984). Behavioural effects of frontal-lobe lesions in man. Trends in Neurosciences, 11: 403–407.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moffitt, T. E. (in preparation). Developmental trajectories of antisocial behavior in delinquents with and without ADD: Ages 3 to 15. Unpublished manuscript, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.Google Scholar
Moffitt, T. E., & Heimer, K. (1988). Factor analysis and construct validity of a research neuropsychological test battery. Unpublished manuscript, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.Google Scholar
Moffitt, T. E., & Henry, B. (in preparation). Hidden delinquents: Correlates and predictors.Google Scholar
Moffitt, T. E., & Silva, P. A. (1988a). Neuropsychological deficit and self-reported delinquency in an unselected birth cohort. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 27, 233–240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moffitt, T. E., & Silva, P. (1988b). Self-reported delinquency, neuropsychological deficit, and history of attention deficit disorder. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 16(5), 553–569.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moffitt, T. E. & Silva, P. A. (1988c). Self-reported early delinquency: Results from an instrument for New Zealand. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 21, 227–240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moffitt, T. E., Mednick, S. A., & Gabrielli, W. F. (1989). Predicting criminal violence: Descriptive data and predispositional factors. In Brizer, D. & Crowner, M. (Eds.), Current approaches to the prediction of violence (pp. 13–34). New York: American Psychiatric Association Press.Google Scholar
Offord, D. R., Sullivan, K., Allen, N., & Abrams, N. (1979). Delinquency and hyperactivity. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 167, 734–741.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Osterreith, P. A. (1944). Le test de copie d'une figure complex. Archives de Psychologie, 30, 206–356.Google Scholar
Pontius, A. A. (1972). Neurological aspects in some types of delinquency, especially among juveniles. Toward a neurological model of ethical action. Adolescence, 7, 289–308.Google Scholar
Pontius, A. A., & Ruttinger, K. F. (1976). Frontal lobe system maturational lag in juvenile delinquents shown in narratives test. Adolescents, 11, 509–518.Google ScholarPubMed
Quay, H. C., & Peterson, D. R. (1983). Revised Behaviour Problem Checklist, Interim Manual. Coral Gables, FL: University of Miami.Google Scholar
Reitan, R. M. (1958). Validity of the Trail Making Test as an indication of organic brain damage. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 8, 271–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reitan, R., & Davison, L. A. (Eds.) (1974). Clinical neuropsychology: Current status and applications. New York: Halsted.Google Scholar
Rey, A. (1941). L'examen psychologique dans les cas d'encephalopathie tramatique. Archives de Psychologie, 28, 286–340.Google Scholar
Rey, A. (1964). L'examen clinique en psychologie. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.Google Scholar
Riddle, M., & Roberts, A. H. (1977). Delinquency, delay of gratification, recidivism and the Porteus Maze Tests. Psychological Bulletin, 34, 417–425.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robins, L. N. (1966). Deviant children grown up. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.Google Scholar
Robinson, A. L., Heaton, R. K., Lehman, R. A. W., & Stilson, D. W. (1980). The utility of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test in detecting and locating frontal lobe lesions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48, 605–614.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rutter, M., Tizard, J., & Whitmore, K. (1970). Education, health, and behavior. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Satterfield, J. H. (1987). Childhood diagnostic and neurophysiological predictors of teenage arrest rates: An eight-year prospective study. In Mednick, S. A. & Moffitt, T. E. (Eds.), The causes of crime (pp. 146–167). New York: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schachar, R., Rutter, M., & Smith, A. (1981). The characteristics of situationally and pervasively hyperactive children: Implications for syndrome definition. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 22, 375–392.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Skoff, B. F., & Libon, D. J. (1987). Impaired executive functions in a sample of male juvenile delinquents. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 9(1), 60.Google Scholar
Stuss, D. T., & Benson, D. F. (1986). The frontal lobes. New York: Raven.Google Scholar
Taylor, E. M. (1959). The appraisal of children with cerebral deficits. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tow, P. M. (1955). Personality changes following frontal leukotomy. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Voorhees, J. (1981). Neuropsychological differences between juvenile delinquents and functional adolescents: A preliminary study. Adolescence, 16, 57–66.Google ScholarPubMed
Waber, D. P., & Holmes, J. M. (1985). Assessing children's copy productions of the Rey-Osterreith Complex Figure. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 7, 264–280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1974). Manual of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Revised. New York: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Wolff, P. H., Waber, D., Bauermeister, M., Cohen, C., & Ferber, R. (1982). The neuropsychological status of adolescent delinquent boys. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 23, 267–279.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wolfgang, M. E., Figlio, R. M., & Sellin, T. (1972). Delinquency in a birth cohort. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Yeudall, L. T. (1980). A neuropsychological perspective of persistent juvenile delinquency and criminal behavior. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 347, 349–355.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yeudall, L. T., & Fromm-Auch, D. (1979). Neuropsychological impairments in various psychopathological populations. In Gruzelier, J. & Flor-Henry, P. (Eds.), Hemisphere asymmetries of function and psychopathology. New York: Elsevier.Google Scholar