Tilton-Weaver Antisocial in Adolescence Cluj 2016

8/17/2019 Tilton-Weaver Antisocial in Adolescence Cluj 2016

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A Developmental Perspective on Antisocial BehaviorDuring Adolescence

Lauree Tilton-Weaver

Professor of PsychologyÖrebro University, Sweden


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Defining Antisocial Behavior

Labels: Problem behavior

Antisocial behavior

Delinquency Commonality:

”Against society”--Behavior that departs from

social or familial norms , and Poses an element of risk to the physiological

and/or psychological welfare of an individual


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Commonly included behaviors:

Defiant and disruptive: Disobeying parents School misconduct

Risky: Sexual behavior Substance use

Aggressive: Aggresssion and violence against people Destruction of property

Many classified behaviors are ”status offenses”


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Why be concerned?

Significant costs Economic, psychological, social

To individuals and societal entities

Interferes with other development May limit social development

Increased risk of disengagement from school From substance use:

Potential for neurological impairment

Creates dependencies


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Some statistics

Problem behaviors (generally) increaseduring adolescence Children engage in less

Adults engage in less Aging out

Behaviors are incompatible with adult roles

Prevalence, frequency, and levels suggestsome engagement may be normative


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A little more detail


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Mostprevalent

Also least

risky, most“fun”


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Leastprevalent

Also most

risky, least“fun”


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What happens

after middle

adolescence?


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Keep this inmind…

Type is

important


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Why increases in adolescence?

Normative and non-normativeperspectives

Non-normative: focus on delinquency Criminology

Normative: focus on all adolescents

May include higher level But also on normative levels

And those who do not engage


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Non-normative:Some theoretical ideas

Sociological Social control (Hirschi)

Anomie (Merton) & strain theory (Agnew)


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Some theoretical ideas

Psychological Social learning (Rotter)

Differential association (Sutherland) Personality (Hare)

Neurological: “All gas, no breaks”


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Some theoretical ideas

Biological Epigentic links

Pre- and perinatal risk Toxins (related to intellectual deficits)


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Which fits?

None fit all the data But some consistencies:

Often occurs where control is absent

Delinquent youth gravitate toward contexts whereadults are not in control

Affiliation with delinquent peers:

Both selection and influence operating

Criminality linked to low IQ, psychopathic traits When legitimate access is restricted, some turn to serious

delinquency and gangs

Criminogenic environments: May be gene-environment


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Normative:

Because so many engage in at least minordelinquent behaviors

Disobeying parents School misconduct

Substance use


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Aggregated theory:Jessor’s problem behavior

Aggregated social control, anomie,differential association

Described individuals who engage inproblem behavior to gain peers status, feelmore mature But lack psychosocial maturity needed to

understand consequences of behavior

Highlighted potential constructive purposes


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Constructive purposes

Identity development: Experimentation with

Cognitive advances questioning conventions

Autonomy issues Most “problem behaviors” are linked to age

Adults engage in with impunity Peer acceptance, status


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The Pseudomature Adolescent

Greenberger and Steinberg: “attainment of social maturity—the assumption

of adult roles—without the development of

psychological maturity to go with it” “ ‘Adultoid’ behavior simply mimics adult activity

without…”

Newcomb & Bentler: “strong drive and need to grow up quickly and

enjoy the positive aspects of adulthood”


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Identifying Pseudomature

Theoretically: Subjective maturity: feel older, want to be

older

Behavioral maturity: low—engaged inbehavior that mimics adult status Drinking, smoking, sex, no curfew

Psychosocial maturity: low—lackingorientation toward true maturity


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Looking for “adultoids”

Person-centered approach: profiles Using measures of maturity

Subjective maturity: subjective age Do you feel (act, treated…): younger, same age, older?

Behavioral maturity: inverse of problem behavior

Psychosocial maturity:

Greenberger’s individual adequacy (autonomy) Strong sense of self (identity)

Strong work orientation

Self-reliant

Galambos & Tilton-Weaver, 2000


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Resulting profiles (10 – 18)

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Adultoid Mature Immature

Subjective Behavioral PS: Identity PS: Work PS: Self-reliance


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Resulting profiles (10 – 18)

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Replicated in communitysample

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Replicated in communitysample

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Who are the pseudomature?

Overall: Feel older, want to be even older

Older brothers (want to be like)

More physically mature (especially girls) Don’t want responsibilities; want privileges

Behaviorally independent

More time with peers, older peers Drawn to “pop” culture

Less engaged in school

Galambos & Tilton-Weaver, 2000; Galambos, Barker, & Tilton-Weaver, 2003


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Another aggregated theory:Moffitt’s taxonomy

Three trajectories Life-course delinquent

Adolescent limited

Abstainers


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Adolescent-limited

Individuals are “drawn” to problembehaviors

In childhood, avoid and reject LCP

In adolescence, develop “maturity gap” Mismatch between perceived maturity and treatment,

limited opportunities to be treated as mature

LCP become valued – they are viewed as moremature, greater status

Mimic LCP behavior misbehave


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Abstainers: those who don’t

Who are they, according to Moffitt? Have no gap

Late maturing adolescents—don’t feel “gap” until

they hit puberty Have access to roles respected by adults

Contexts limit opportunity

(social control, differential association) Personal characteristics that exclude them from

delinquent groups


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Support:

Life-course Early starters

Some signs of neurological problems

Continuity of problems Adolescent-limited

Maturity issues are there But not as wide-spread as Moffitt describes

Abstainers: There are abstainers


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Gibson & Tilton-Weaver, 2016


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Low-limited and

abstainers are

largest groups


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Also a group of“ moderates” who

later desist


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Measure: primarily

aggression/violence,property violations

Would thetrajectories look the

same for other

types?


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Remember?

Expected

general trend


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Who are the abstainers?


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Abstainers Non-abstain

Impulsivity Self esteem Anxiety (ns) Depress


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Who are the abstainers?


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Network Popularity Reciprocated


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Who are their friends?


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Impulsivity Self esteem Anxiety (ns) Depress


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Is there a “maturity gap”? Yes, but other “fits” well

Fit: looks much like mature adolescent

Overfit: treated more treated more maturely than desired Includes those who are pubertally mature

Underfit: maturity gap – treated less maturely than desired Greater engagement in problem behavior

More peer-oriented

Greater motivation to appear older Depressed girls fall here

Tilton-Weaver, Marshall, & Galambos, 2011


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Do adolescents really viewdelinquents as desirable?

Five “images” of maturity Physical only

Privileges only: fits “gap” idea

Responsibilities only: look like “overfit”

Power only Balanced: look like matures

Among 6th graders, mature and privileged have highestfrequency

But those who describe privileged are split on whether theywant to “hang out” Describe privilege and want to “hang out” increase in delinquency

Tilton-Weaver, Vitunski, & Galambos, 2000


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Conclusions

Moffitt’s taxonomy Fits a high-level group (small)

Gap?

For some, definitely not the majority Abstainers:

Majority

Well-adjusted, well-adjusted peers

Problem behavior theory seems to fit well

Looking at both normative and non-normative

behaviors are important


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Open questions:

Do these ideas applies across types ofproblem behaviors?

Gap questions: Does gap initiate engagement or engagement

initiate gap? Immature behaviors may bring differential treatment


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Thank you!

Acknowledgements: Social Sciences and Humanities Research

Council of Canada

Swedish Research Council (VR)

Swedish Research Council for Health,Working life, and Welfare (Forte)

Questions?

Tilton-Weaver Antisocial in Adolescence Cluj 2016

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