Stability and change in longitudinal patterns of antisocial behaviors: The role of social and emotional competencies, empathy, and morality

Elena Nasaescu,David P Farrington,Rosario Ortega-Ruiz,Vicente J Llorent,Izabela Zych

doi:10.1007/s12144-021-02484-y

Elena Nasaescu, David P Farrington + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02484-y

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Abstract

Studies show that different types of antisocial behaviors share similar risk and protective factors related to particular social, emotional and moral competencies. Nevertheless, little is known about the longitudinal relation of social, emotional and moral competencies with patterns of antisocial behaviors in youth. The present study aimed to discover the longitudinal relations between social and emotional competencies, empathy, moral emotions, moral disengagement, and perceived moral disengagement induced by parents, and the patterns of antisocial behaviors and change in these patterns over time. A sample of 898 Spanish students aged between 9 and 17 was followed up for one year. Self-reported data were analyzed using latent transition analyses and multinomial regressions. Results showed that age, several mechanisms of moral disengagement, perceived parental moral disengagement induction, and several social and emotional competencies predicted offenders outside of school and highly antisocial and victimized patterns, including their stability over time. Moreover, males at early ages and perceived parental moral disengagement induction predicted the high bullying victimization pattern. Being a male, with high victim dehumanizing and blaming, predicted stability of the high bullying victimization pattern. Being a male, early ages, and low responsible decision-making predicted changes from the high bullying victimization pattern to the low antisocial pattern. Results are discussed emphasizing the need to conduct prevention and intervention programs from a comprehensive perspective promoting social, emotional and moral competencies. This study could have useful implications for prevention and intervention focused on decreasing risk and increasing protective factors.

Highlights

The prevention of antisocial behavior is one of the greatest challenges facing modern societies
All social and emotional competencies, moral emotions, cognitive empathy and affective empathy variables were negatively related to different antisocial behaviors and victimization
Perceived parental moral disengagement induction, dehumanization and blaming others, minimizing consequences and reconstruing moral transgressions were positively related to different antisocial behaviors and victimization

Summary

Introduction

The prevention of antisocial behavior is one of the greatest challenges facing modern societies. Research on antisocial behaviors has been very fruitful and has advanced knowledge regarding different factors that increase risk or protect individuals from involvement in antisocial behaviors (Farrington et al, 2016b; Zych et al, 2019b). Research suggests that many risk and protective factors for different antisocial behaviors are related to particular levels of social, emotional and moral competencies (Arce et al, 2011; Farrington et al, 2016b; Gómez-Ortiz et al, 2017; Zych et al, 2019b). At the intra-individual level, longitudinal studies indicate that problem behaviors tend to repeat and are relatively stable (see Farrington, 1989). Research studies showed that bullying and cyberbullying are critical problems within schools and have serious shortand long-term consequences for victims and perpetrators (Zych et al, 2015). A study by Bradshaw et al (2013), examining the relationship between bullying (non-involved, victim, bully and bully/victim roles) and other risky behaviors, showed that bullies and bully/victims were at high risk of being involved in violence, engaging in different types of substance use, or having academic problems, compared to victims or uninvolved persons

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