Citation

Paquette Boots D, Wareham J. Crim. Justice Behav. 2009; 36(8): 840-860.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0093854809337714

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Research has long suggested comorbidity between mental health and poor life course outcomes such as delinquency. The early identification of mental illness in youths is an important goal for researchers examining the relationship between mental disorder and offending. The present study examined the comorbidity of various mental health problems such as anxiety, affective, attention deficit/hyperactivity, somatic, and oppositional defiant problems and their effect on offending in youths participating in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN). Innovative Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)—oriented scales that allow for distinctions between normal, borderline, and clinical levels of mental health problems were used in logistic regressions to predict the odds of offending across four stages of development. Findings showed a consistent pattern across the life course of oppositional defiant problems increasing the likelihood of future property and violent offending. Furthermore, the value of using DSM-oriented scales was demonstrated. Implications for future studies and policy are discussed.