Childhood predictors of violent behavior

In this study, prospective childhood data from birth to 7 years of age were used to determine predictors of subsequent violent behavior. The childhood predictors found for the girls accounted for more variance in the reported later violent offenses: 24.9% compared to 3.8% for the boys. This large difference may be due partly to the fact that violent behavior is more unusual among girls; thus, those girls who are violent are more readily differentiated from the others. The only two early childhood variables that were found to predict for both genders were: (a) less normal behavior and (b) presence of deviant or stereotyped behavior. Thus, abnormal behavior in childhood can be considered to be a fairly reliable predictor to greater likelihood of later violent behavior.