Protective factors associated with the desistance of violent and aggressive behaviors among early offending maltreated youth

• In Event: 1-110 - Evaluating the differential effects of multiple domains of violence and adversity exposure among youth

Integrative Statement

Child maltreatment is a well-documented risk factor for perpetration of youth violence and aggression. Few studies have examined protective factors associated with desistance of early aggressive behavior among maltreated youth. Much of the extant literature focuses on re-offending among males with few studies focusing on protective factors for early aggressive females.

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to examine whether parental monitoring, prosocial friends, and academic achievement reduced further perpetration of aggressive behaviors among early aggressive youth with a history of maltreatment, and if potential benefits were similar for boys and girls.

Methods. Data were drawn from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). The analysis sample (N = 166) was restricted to those with a history of maltreatment between birth and age 12, self-reported delinquent activities at age 12, and non-missing data at age 14.

Results. By age 14, 45% percent of the sample (50% of girls and 43% of boys) denied further perpetration of earlier aggressive behaviors. Logistic regression utilizing the total sample indicated greater parental monitoring and self-reported importance of academic achievement were significantly associated with desistance (OR = 4.07 and 2.78 respectively). Comparisons within gender among desistors and non-desistors indicated greater influence of prosocial friends among female desistors, and greater importance of academic achievement among male desistors. However, in controlled models, importance of academic achievement was significant for boys only, and none of the protective factors were significant for girls.
Conclusions. Maltreated youth are at higher risk of aggressive and delinquent behaviors. It is important to identify factors associated with desistance of these behaviors. This study suggests that importance of academic achievement may be one factor that is particularly salient for early offending boys.

Further work is necessary to better inform intervention programs, particularly given potential gender differences in factors associated with desistance.

Author

• Terri Lewis, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
  Presenting Author