Citation
Walters, G. D. (2022). Does adolescent drug use belong on the antisocial spectrum? Mediating the drug–crime connection with cognitive impulsivity.
International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. vol. 80
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether adolescent drug use can be considered part of the antisocial spectrum. This was done by testing two pathways from adolescent drug use to early adult offending, one of which was mediated by cognitive insensitivity and the other of which was mediated by cognitive impulsivity. It was hypothesized that the impulsivity-mediated pathway would achieve significance, the insensitivity-mediated pathway would not achieve significance, and the impulsivity-mediated indirect effect would significantly outperform the insensitivity-mediated indirect effect. Participants for this study were the 4576 youth from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). All participants in the current investigation were between the ages of 11 and 18 at the start of the study (Time 1 or Wave II of Add Health). The research hypothesis received partial support in that while the impulsivity-mediated pathway achieved significance and the insensitivity-mediated pathway did not, the difference between the two pathways was non-significant. These results suggest that early drug use may play a role in the antisocial spectrum as an antecedent to delinquency/crime by way of cognitive impulsivity. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
URL
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2021.101761Keyword(s)
Antisocial spectrum
Notes
Export Date: 21 December 2021
Reference Type
Journal Article
Journal Title
International Journal of Law and Psychiatry
Author(s)
Walters, G. D.
Year Published
2022
Volume Number
80
Edition
January 01, 2022
DOI
10.1016/j.ijlp.2021.101761
Reference ID
9484
