Citation

Aguilar-Cárceles MM, Farrington DP. Crime Psychol. Rev. 2017; 3(1): 1-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/23744006.2017.1365470

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Among the most important individual factors that predict offending are hyperactivity, impulsivity, and poor attention. Psychiatrists regard these factors as a clinical syndrome termed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This article reviews the most recent definitions of ADHD in DSM-5 and the extent to which it predicts later offending and substance use. Psychologists focus on risk factors such as impulsivity rather than ADHD, and sociologists assume that all these factors reflect low self-control. This article also discusses the value of focusing on impulsivity and low self-control as risk factors for offending, and the usefulness of risk-focused prevention (targeting these risk factors) in reducing offending, compared with methods of treating ADHD (e.g. using Ritalin). We argue that the psychological approach of studying risk factors such as impulsivity is preferable to defining an ADHD psychiatric syndrome or a possibly tautological construct of self-control. The article concludes by recommending new longitudinal research that is needed to advance knowledge about developmental sequences including hyperactivity, impulsivity, poor attention, offending, and later life outcomes, and new randomized experiments that are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of different intervention programmes.

Language: en

Keywords

ADHD; hyperactivity; impulsivity; low self-control; offending; poor attention