Early adversity and adult delinquency: the mediational role of mental health in youth offenders

• Published in: Ciência & saude coletiva Vol. 24; no. 8; pp. 2805 - 2810
• Main Authors: Basto-Pereira, Miguel, Maia, Ângela da Costa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Associação Brasileira de Saúde Coletiva 01.08.2019; ABRASCO - Associação Brasileira de Saúde Coletiva
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adverse childhood experiences; Adverse Childhood Experiences - statistics & numerical data; Criminals - psychology; Female; Humans; Juvenile delinquency; Juvenile Delinquency - psychology; Juvenile Delinquency - rehabilitation; Juvenile justice; Juvenile offenders; Male; Mental Health; Mental Health Services - organization & administration; PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Self Report; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Young adults; Adult offending; Envolvimento no sistema de justiça juvenil; Childhood adverse experiences; Delinquência juvenil; Comportamento criminal adulto; Juvenile delinquency; Mental health; Saúde mental; Experiências adversas na infância; Juvenile justice involvement
• ISSN: 1413-8123; 1678-4561; 1678-4561
• DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232018248.27142017

This research explores the mediational role of mental health in the relationship between early adverse experiences and current self-reported delinquency in young adults with past juvenile justice involvement. Seventy-five young adults with official records of juvenile delinquency in 2010/2011 filled out our protocol in 2014/2015 including the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) questionnaire, the Brief Symptom Inventory, and the D-CRIM questionnaire (evaluating delinquency). The global level of adverse experiences during childhood and adolescence was related to mental health problems and self-reported delinquency in young adulthood, while psychopathological symptoms were also related to current self-reported delinquency. The mental health indicator partially mediated the link between early adversity and current self-reported offending in individuals with past juvenile justice involvement. Our results are in line with previous psychological and neurobiological approaches and highlight the importance of mental health services in youth offender rehabilitation. Future directions for research are provided.