Links Between Childhood Traits and Adult Criminal Behaviors

Abstract

The article by Pardini and Byrd¹ in this issue of the Journal addresses the question of which childhood dispositional features predict chronic adult criminal behavior. The article focuses on three traits (interpersonal callousness, negative emotionality, and hyperactivity/impulsivity) that have been previously identified as factors associated with criminal offending. Because all three are comorbid with conduct disorder (CD), questions have arisen as to whether they independently predict criminal offending. Interpersonal callousness, which reflects deceitfulness, a manipulative tendency, and lack of empathy or guilt, has been found to be a predictor of criminal offending and the "with limited prosocial emotions" specifier was added to the DSM-5 CD diagnosis because of evidence that it predicts more severe criminal and delinquent outcomes even when the severity of CD is taken into account.^2,3 Negative emotionality is composed of two separate constructs, dysregulated anger⁴ and fear and anxiety problems. Past research has been mixed regarding the association of these traits with criminal offending because of the comorbidity with CD; however, there has been evidence that fear/anxiety is protective against developing CD and engaging in offending behavior.⁵ Findings regarding the association between hyperactivity/impulsivity and criminal offending also have been mixed because of the comorbidity of hyperactivity/impulsivity with CD.⁶.