Suchergebnisse

Although many psychoactive substances have been associated with violent behavior, only a subgroup manifests excessively aggressive behavior when sober or intoxicated. Theories to explain addictive behaviors in general may directly relate to the specific proclivity to exhibit excessive aggression in this subset of users. Certain personality traits and cognitive deficits coexist in individuals prone to both drug abuse and violence, suggesting a common origin. Because these excessive and compulsive behaviors have been linked with aberrations in the metabolism and activity of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, their origins may be partly genetic or biological. Alterations in neurotransmitter function influence activities within the brain's reward center to perturb nervous system arousal levels, thereby increasing stimulation-seeking behaviors. Manifestations of these neurobiological aberrations can be measured in physiological and biochemical processes that serve to mediate these behavioral and psychological outcomes.

For several decades, mainstream criminology has been dominated by sociological and political perspectives. Although findings from these fields must not be discarded or underplayed, considered alone, they do not offer a complete assessment of the contributions to criminal behavior. Data currently being generated from numerous behavioral sciences, such as behavioral genetics, physiological psychology, psychopharmacology, and endocrinology, indicate that biological factors play an equally significant role in the development of antisocial behavior and should be considered accordingly. Incorporation of the theoretical parameters and findings of these behavioral sciences into a criminological framework would yield valuable in formation regarding processes underlying antisocial behavior. Such a multidisciplinary approach is likely to enhance capabilities to predict, prevent, and manage antisocial behavior. Theoretical parameters, methodological issues, selected research findings, potential applications, and precautions are discussed.

AbstractDrawing on the social development model, the authors examine family risk and protective factors thought to influence problem behaviors among adolescents. They estimate the impact of family risk and protective factors on a variety of antisocial and health risk behaviors. Data are drawn from a sample of nearly 2,500 adolescents attending high‐risk schools in Trinidad and Tobago, a developing nation in the eastern Caribbean. The findings show that certain family risk factors play a more consistent role in shaping adolescent problem behaviors than others. In particular, adult history of antisocial behavior and parental attitudes favorable toward antisocial behavior and substance use emerge as the most robust risk factors. In accordance with previous research, family protective factors exerted only a minimal influence on behavioral outcomes. This finding confirms the need for additional theory and research on the protective factors that help reduce problem behavior among adolescents, particularly in developing nations.

The prevalence of substance use behavior and the personal characteristics and social and cultural factors that influence substance use among children have been studied extensively. However, much less attention has been directed at the attitudes towards, and particularly the perceived risks of, using substances, and even less research has focused on Hispanic youth, whose rates of substance use have been increasing. Understanding what factors are associated with perceived risk is important because there is evidence that perceived risk is associated with subsequent substance use. The current study uses longitudinal data collected from 553 children in the Cicero Youth Development (CYD) Project to identify individual and environmental factors associated with the perceived risk of substance use. We pay particular attention to dimensions of nativity and acculturation in an effort to determine whether there are differences in risk perception between U.S.-born Hispanic children and their foreign-born counterparts. Results indicate that a number of factors are associated with perceived risk, including family support, parent-child communication, peer substance use, and child temperament. Additionally, U.S.-born Hispanics perceive substances as less risky than immigrants, and among immigrants, length of time in the U. S. is negatively associated with perceiving great risk in substance use. Implications for policy and prevention strategies are discussed.