Risk factors for persistent delinquent behavior among juveniles: A meta-analytic review

• Published in: Clinical psychology review Vol. 42; pp. 47 - 61
• Main Authors: Assink, Mark, van der Put, Claudia E., Hoeve, Machteld, de Vries, Sanne L.A., Stams, Geert Jan J.M., Oort, Frans J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2015
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Developmental taxonomy; Humans; Juvenile Delinquency - psychology; Life-course persistent delinquency; Meta-analysis; Mother-Child Relations - psychology; Risk domain; Risk factor; Risk Factors; Sibling Relations; Risk domain; Life-course persistent delinquency; Developmental taxonomy; Risk factor; Meta-analysis
• ISSN: 0272-7358; 1873-7811
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2015.08.002

Multiple risk domains have been identified for life-course persistent (LCP) offending, but a quantitative review of the effect of different risk domains was not yet available. Therefore, we performed a series of multilevel meta-analyses to examine the effect of several risk domains for LCP offending relative to adolescence-limited (AL) offending. We included 55 studies reporting on 1014 effects of risk factors, and classified each factor into one of 14 risk domains. The results revealed a significant effect for 11 domains ranging from d=0.200 to d=0.758. Relatively large effects were found for the criminal history, aggressive behavior, and alcohol/drug abuse domains, whereas relatively small effects were found for the family, neurocognitive, and attitude domains. The physical health, background, and neighborhood domains yielded no effect. Moderator analyses showed that effects of sibling-related risk factors were larger than effects of mother-related risk factors, and that the effect of the relationship domain was largest during childhood. We conclude that most risk domains contribute to the development of LCP offending and that differences between AL and LCP offenders may be quantitative rather than qualitative. Implications of the present results for risk assessment and the prevention/treatment of LCP offending are discussed. •Multiple risk domains need to be addressed when preventing/treating LCP offending.•The mean effect of social relationship risk factors was largest during childhood.•Siblings may be more influential in developing LCP offending than mothers.•The potential of interventions solely focused on the family may be relatively low.•A true categorical distinction between LCP and AL offenders may not be very likely.