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The relationship between early childhood head injury and later life criminal behaviour: a longitudinal cohort study

Tracy L Jackson1, Joseph M Braun1, Michael Mello2,3

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
|July 1, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Childhood head injuries may increase the risk of later criminal behavior and conduct problems. Further research is needed to understand the connection and develop preventative interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Criminology

Background:

  • Childhood head injury is linked to behavioral and psychological issues.
  • Previous research suggests a potential association between early head trauma and later life challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between head injury in early childhood and subsequent criminal behavior.
  • To analyze the association between head trauma and conduct problems in children.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Providence cohort of the Collaborative Perinatal Project.
  • Ascertained head injury history (ages 0-7) from health records of 2893 children.
  • Employed propensity score matching and negative binomial/log binomial regression analyses.

Main Results:

  • Children with head injuries showed a 1.5 times higher rate of arrests and conduct problems.
  • Severe head injuries were linked to a twofold increased rate of juvenile arrests and conduct problems, approaching statistical significance.
  • While not statistically significant at p<0.05, trends indicated an association between head injury and adverse outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood head injury is associated with increased criminality and conduct problems.
  • Identifying the mechanisms underlying this association is crucial for intervention development.
  • Preventing criminal behavior stemming from head injuries requires further investigation into causal pathways.
Abstract

Keywords:
child healthinjuriesmental healthneuroepidemiology

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