Antisocial cognition as a mediator of the peer influence effect and peer selection effect in antisocial adolescents

Ashley-John Brewer,Alisa Anokhina,Rob Saunders,Pasco Fearon,Abdullah Kraam,David Cottrell,Stephen Pilling,Peter Fonagy,Stephen Butler,Elizabeth Simes

doi:10.1007/s00787-020-01695-1

Abstract

The peer influence and peer selection effects are two widely replicated findings in the criminological literature that refer to the predictive relationship between antisocial behaviour and delinquent peer association as well as between delinquent peer association and antisocial behaviour, respectively. Research suggests that antisocial cognition might constitute a causal mechanism underlying part of these effects. This study investigated the extent that the peer influence and peer selection effects are mediated by one key aspect of antisocial cognition—beliefs and attitudes supporting peer conflict. This study examined whether beliefs and attitudes supporting peer conflict mediated the relationship between delinquent peer association and volume of self-reported antisocial behaviour and vice-versa, across a 1-year follow-up period, in 683 (433 male, 250 female) British adolescents (mean age: 13.8 years) with a history of serious antisocial behaviour. Participants completed measures at baseline and 6, 12 and 18 months thereafter. Findings indicated that beliefs and attitudes supporting peer conflict partially mediated the peer influence and peer selection effects, explaining a substantial proportion of the total effect in the peer influence (i.e., 26%) and peer selection (i.e., 17%) models. These results suggest that beliefs and attitudes supporting peer conflict could explain part of the mechanism underlying the peer influence and peer selection effects in adolescents with a history of serious antisocial behaviour.

Highlights

MethodsThis paper reports a secondary analysis of data from the Systemic Therapy for at Risk Teens (START) study (trial registration ISRCTN77132214); a national multicentre pragmatic clinical randomised controlled trial, comparing the efficacy of Multisystemic therapy (MST) with management as usual (MAU) in reducing risk of out-of-home placement in adolescents due to significant antisocial behaviour
Serious and persistent antisocial behaviour during adolescence can have significant and costly long-term outcomes for individuals, their families, and society [1, 2]
This paper reports a secondary analysis of data from the Systemic Therapy for at Risk Teens (START) study; a national multicentre pragmatic clinical randomised controlled trial, comparing the efficacy of Multisystemic therapy (MST) with management as usual (MAU) in reducing risk of out-of-home placement in adolescents due to significant antisocial behaviour

Summary

Methods

This paper reports a secondary analysis of data from the Systemic Therapy for at Risk Teens (START) study (trial registration ISRCTN77132214); a national multicentre pragmatic clinical randomised controlled trial, comparing the efficacy of Multisystemic therapy (MST) with management as usual (MAU) in reducing risk of out-of-home placement in adolescents due to significant antisocial behaviour. Young people with moderate-to-severe antisocial behaviour were recruited from social services, youth offending teams, schools, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), and voluntary services, with full details on methodology and participant eligibility available from the START study protocol and report [34, 35]. Data were used from all 683 (63.4% male, 36.6% female) participants aged 11–17 years (mean = 13.81) who entered the START trial. Consenting participants completed a battery of questionnaires at baseline, after which approximately half were randomised to MST or MAU.

Results

Discussion

Conclusion