The Role of ADHD in Predicting the Development of Violent Behavior Among Juvenile Offenders: Participation Versus Frequency

Abstract

Past research has identified attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a risk factor for engagement in violent offending. Despite the link between the disorder and violent offending, this risk factor has yet to be examined as a predictor of heterogeneity in the development of violent offending among juvenile offenders. It is likely that the impulsivity, genetic link, and generally chronic disorder course which are characteristics of the disorder play roles in predicting violent offending, which is consistent with both self-control theory and general developmental theory related to early life deficits and life-course persistent offending. Past research has also elucidated a developmental trajectory model of violent offending, which is utilized by the present research. The present research examines ADHD as a risk factor predicting trajectory group assignment. The Pathways to Desistance data followed 1,354 juvenile offenders for 84 months following conviction for a serious offense. Using multinomial logistic regression, this study extends past research on the development of violent offending among juvenile offenders by examining ADHD as a risk factor predicting assignment to violent offending trajectory groups. Results indicate that meeting criteria for ADHD at baseline predicted membership to all trajectory groups relative to the Abstaining group when all covariates were included. This increase in risk is highest for the trajectory group characterized by the highest frequency of violent offending. This indicates the relevance of identifying and treating ADHD among juvenile offenders to best mitigate risk of violent recidivism throughout adolescence and early adulthood.

ADHD, Religiosity, and Psychiatric Comorbidity in Adolescence and Adulthood

“…ADHD, a neurodevelopmental condition affecting approximately 7% of youth and 3% of adults (Rietz et al, 2020), is a strong risk factor for depression, antisocial behavior, and substance abuse disorders (Ohnishi et al, 2019). These enhanced risks may underlie some of the extremely poor psychosocial outcomes that are more common among those with ADHD: for example, school drop-out, unemployment, traumatic injuries, high healthcare utilization, financial debt, homelessness, intimate partner violence, violent crime, imprisonment, suicidality, and shorter life expectancy (Barkley & Fischer, 2019; Fleming et al, 2017; Gbessemehlan et al, 2020; Mordre et al, 2012; Rietz et al, 2020; Romero-Martinez et al, 2019; Wojciechowski, 2017). Mechanisms underlying connections between ADHD and its psychiatric comorbidities, in spite of their huge personal and societal costs, are not clearly understood.…”

Lost diagnoses? A multi-year trajectory of patients with childhood ADHD in the criminal justice system in Switzerland

“…This notion is supported by other research, although the influence of comorbid mental disorders, such as anti-social personality disorder (ASPD), is not yet fully understood [13,14]. For individuals with ADHD with a previous conviction, an elevated risk of recidivism has been observed [13,15,16].…”

Offending patterns – alone or in a group – and severe conduct problems: secondary analysis of cross-sectional questionnaire data

“…This might indicate a link between offending alone and the presence of a persistent form of CD such as early-onset with an associated co-morbidity of ADHD. Research has shown that impulsivity is a risk factor for offending, with ADHD prevalence rates higher among violent than non-violent offenders (Young and Cocallis, 2019; Wojciechowski, 2017). However, studies with available longitudinal data have illustrated that when individuals have early features of ODD or CD, ADHD features are unable to consistently act as a signifier for persistent CD and serious offending in later life overall (Lahey et al , 2000; Frick and Moffit, 2010).…”