INCREASED RATE OF CONDUCT PROBLEMS IN URBAN AREAS - WHAT IS THE MECHANISM

Objective: To compare the prevalence of conduct problems (CP) accordin g to level of urbanization and to determine which factors account for the potential difference in prevalence rates. Method: Study 1 used a q uestionnaire survey of a nationally representative sample of 10,462 No rwegian adolescents. Study 2 used a questionnaire survey of a represen tative sample of 1,346 adolescents living in Oslo. Self-reported CP in cluded most DSM-III-R criteria for conduct disorder. Results: CP rates were similar in all levels of urbanization, except for the only semim etropolitan city in the country, the capital Oslo, which had CP rates twice those of the rest of the country. This increase rate could not b e explained by a series of commonly advocated explanations: family str ucture and parental practices, social network, socioeconomic status, i ntegration in community activities, religious involvement, and race. H owever, involvement in ''soft'' drugs and associating with antisocial peers could explain the statistically differential rates. Furthermore, in the Oslo study, adolescents' CP did not vary according to density of population or region within the city. Conclusions: The results supp ort previous studies showing increased rates of CP in urban areas. How ever, urbanization must pass a certain threshold before it has this ef fect. Moreover, the lack of support for commonly advocated explanation s for the difference between urban and nonurban areas suggests that in vestigations specifically addressing potential explanations for this d ifference should be conducted. The results indicate that the increased rates of substance use in highly urbanized areas may account for the difference in CP rates by prolonging and aggravating CP.