An Exploratory Study of COVID-19’s Impact on Psychological Distress and Antisocial Behavior Among Justice-Involved Youth

Abstract

Little is known about how justice-involved youth are coping with stress related to COVID-19. This study examined changes in psychological distress and antisocial behavior indicators among 557 youths on probation who completed two assessments during pre-COVID-19 conditions and two assessments during post-COVID-19 conditions. Drawing from Agnew’s General Strain Theory, the study used multivariate latent growth models to examine: (a) changes in psychological distress and antisocial behavior over time, (b) the associations of the changes, and (c) differences across sex, race, and ethnicity regarding changes in psychological distress. In support of General Strain Theory, results highlight that indicators of psychological distress and antisocial behavior increased during post-COVID-19 conditions when compared to pre-COVID-19 conditions for the full sample and for subsamples of youth categorized by sex, race, and ethnicity.

Psychosocial Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Italian Families: Perception of Quality of Life and Screening of Psychological Symptoms

“…Another information that emerged from the test results is that a very low percentage of subjects, approximately 3% of the sample, obtained clinically significant high levels for the physical aggression subscale, and approximately 17% of the sample obtained extremely low levels of anger, which are equally clinically significant. These last results contradict the results of the study by Reid and colleagues [29] which analysed psychological distress and the implementation of antisocial behaviours before and after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in young people in the American population, finding an increase in frustration in the subjects and, consequently, an increase in aggressive behaviours. In this sample, the levels of physical aggression are below the normal threshold for the age group, the anger is probably internalised and channelled towards the self and not towards the other.…”

“…These results can be explained by the fact that the sample is mostly made up of adolescents, and in this age group, it is typical to feel anger and frustration towards adult figures who exercise authority over them. An additional explanation could be supported by the excessive frustration caused by the restrictions that children and adolescents have been forced to implement during the Covid-19 pandemic, which manifests itself through hostility towards authority figures [29]. Another information that emerged from the test results is that a very low percentage of subjects, approximately 3% of the sample, obtained clinically significant high levels for the physical aggression subscale, and approximately 17% of the sample obtained extremely low levels of anger, which are equally clinically significant.…”

Short-term social isolation acts on hypothalamic neurons to promote social behavior in a sex- and context-dependent manner

“…Consequently, the experience of social isolation is aversive and impacts both our brains and our behaviors. While long-term isolation can lead to the emergence of anti-social behaviors in both humans and rodents (An et al, 2017; Arrigo and Bullock, 2008; Check et al, 1985; Hossain et al, 2020; Killgore et al, 2021; Ma et al, 2011, 2022; Machimbarrena et al, 2019; Matsumoto et al, 2005; Mears and Bales, 2009; Reid et al, 2022; Toth et al, 2011; Valzelli, 1973; Weiss et al, 2004; Wiberg and Grice, 1963; Zelikowsky et al, 2018), short-term isolation typically increases levels of social motivation and promotes social-seeking behaviors (Baumeister and Leary, 1995; Cacioppo et al, 2006; Cacioppo and Cacioppo, 2018; House et al, 1988; Lee et al, 2021; Niesink and van Ree, 1982; Panksepp and Beatty, 1980; Zhao et al, 2021). Alterations in social motivation are characteristic of many neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (Chevallier et al, 2012; Clements et al, 2018).…”

Emotional, coping factors and personality traits that influenced alcohol consumption in Romanian students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study

“…The prolonged tension experienced during the pandemic led to negative emotions which diminished the ability to control antisocial behaviors. In a sample of in young people who had problems with the law, possibly some with antisocial disorder, Reid, Chenneville, Gardy&Baglivio [ 58 ] identified an increased aggressive behavior, troublesome in-school conduct and problems related to substance consumption.…”