Identifying the Contributions of Maternal Factors and Early Childhood Externalizing Behavior on Adolescent Delinquency

We examined whether childhood externalizing group subtypes were uniquely related to maternal depression and victimization and whether these subtypes differentially predicted adolescent delinquency. Data were drawn from the Longitudinal Study on Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) consortium (N = 1091; 51.3% female, 52.2% African American). Latent class analysis indicated three groups at age 4 (titled well-adjusted, hyperactive/oppositional, and aggressive/rule-breaking). Caregiver victimization and depression significantly predicted group membership such that aggressive/rule-breaking group had higher levels of maternal depression and victimization although the well-adjusted group had higher levels of maternal victimization relative to the hyperactive/oppositional group. Further, membership in higher externalizing groups at age four is associated with greater risk of adolescent delinquency at age 16. These findings underscore the need to address maternal risk factors in the treatment of childhood disruptive behavior and provide evidence of the continuity of disruptive behaviors from early childhood to adolescence.

Automated summary

The study found that childhood externalizing group subtypes were specifically related to maternal depression and victimization, and membership in higher externalizing groups at age four predicted greater risk of adolescent delinquency at age 16. These results emphasize the importance of addressing maternal risk factors in the treatment of childhood disruptive behavior, and provide evidence of the continuity of disruptive behaviors from early childhood to adolescence.