The relationship between low resting heart rate, systolic blood pressure and antisocial behavior in incarcerated males

Abstract

PurposeThis study examined the relationship between resting heart rate (RHR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and antisocial behavior in a sample of incarcerated, adult male offenders. MethodsData from 333 health, psychology and institutional files were analyzed to assess the relationship between RHR, SBP and a range of antisocial outcomes, including criminal convictions. ResultsConsistent with prior research, results revealed a significant negative relationship between RHR and total prior offending and age of onset of antisocial behavior. RHR was positively associated with sexual offending. Slightly larger effect sizes were found with respect to SBP, and the pattern of results mirrored those for RHR. For RHR and SBP, many of the bivariate associations were still significant when control variables were included in multivariate analyses. ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first study of RHR/SBP and offending within an institutionalized adult population that raises questions about the generalizability of this relationship to sexual offending.