Cognitive-behavioral reciprocity: Testing the bidirectional relationship between antisocial cognition and delinquency

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Forensic Psychology
• Criminal Justice

Background:

• Reciprocity between variables is of interest in criminology.
• Empirical testing is necessary to confirm bidirectional relationships.
• The study investigates the reciprocal relationship between delinquency and antisocial cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically test if delinquency and antisocial cognition are bidirectionally related.
• To examine if antisocial cognition predicts delinquency and vice versa.
• To compare bidirectional models against unidirectional models.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Pathways to Desistance study (1,354 justice-involved youths).
• Examined moral neutralization and cognitive impulsivity as forms of antisocial cognition.
• Employed zero-order and partial correlations, and structural equation modeling.

Main Results:

• 40 out of 40 prospective zero-order correlations and 36 out of 40 partial correlations were significant.
• Bidirectional models showed significantly better fit than unidirectional models.
• Antisocial cognition and delinquency demonstrated a reciprocal predictive relationship.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between antisocial cognition and delinquency is reciprocal.
• Antisocial cognition predicts delinquency as much as delinquency predicts antisocial cognition.
• Findings support integrating bidirectional patterns into criminological theory, clinical practice, and policy.