Neuropsychological deficits, adverse home environments, and cascading behaviors and consequences: An examination of relationships from childhood through adolescence

Abstract

Moffitt (1993) argues neuropsychological deficits and adverse home environments interact to trigger a process of cascading, escalating behaviors and punishments across childhood and adolescence, but limited research has examined these contentions. The goal of this study was to examine whether neuropsychological deficits and criminogenic home environments interact across childhood and into adolescence to affect childhood externalizing behavior, school suspension and early offending behavior in late childhood, and ultimately delinquency and arrest in adolescence. Using path analysis and data from the LONGSCAN study, results were supportive of Moffitt's (1993) contentions, finding neuropsychological deficits increased externalizing behavior in childhood, which led to increased delinquency and suspension in late childhood and delinquency and arrest in adolescence. Further, the magnitude of these relationships was stronger for youth from more criminogenic home environments. Findings have important implications for research examining and applying Moffitt's (1993) perspective, as well as practitioners and policymakers working to prevent delinquent behavior.