A developmental-ecological perspective on antisocial behavior in children and adolescents: toward a unified risk and intervention framework

Abstract

A developmental-ecological perspective is offered as a framework for prediction and prevention of antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. The primary assumptions of the approach and the advantages of such an approach for relating prediction, prevention, and implementation are high-lighted. It is suggested that such an approach facilitates integration of the recent advances in prevention theory and methods, the accumulating knowledge about the causes and effective interventions for antisocial behavior, and the need for careful consideration of context. Six key advances in the field are listed, and important steps are suggested.