PREDICTING EARLY-ONSET OF MALE ANTISOCIAL-BEHAVIOR FROM PRESCHOOL BEHAVIOR

Methods: Data from a large longitudinal study of boys who were between kindergarten and age 13 years were used to (1) test whether Gray's an d Cloninger's personality dimensions measured in kindergarten predicte d the early onset of stable, highly delinquent behavior; (2) test whet her 1, 2, or 3 dimensions were needed; and (3) test the predictive val ue of a categorical approach. Results: The impulsivity dimension was t he best predictor of the early onset of stable, highly delinquent beha vior. Anxiety and reward dependence made significant but weaker contri butions. The categorical approach corroborated Cloninger's suggestion that boys who are high in impulsivity, low in anxiety, and low in rewa rd dependence would be more at risk for delinquent involvement. Boys w ho were high in impulsivity and low in anxiety but high in reward depe ndence were much less at risk for delinquency. Differences in antisoci al behavior among extreme kindergarten personality groups were stable from ages 11 to 13 years. Conclusions: The behavioral activating syste m appears to be the major dimension underlying the propensity toward e arly onset of antisocial behavior, but both the behavioral inhibition system and the need for social rewards play important roles. The behav ioral style (personality) that results from the interplay of these sys tems is clearly in place by the kindergarten year. Preventive efforts should target preschool children with at-risk behavior profiles. Howev er, longitudinal-experimental studies with at least yearly assessments between birth and school-entry age are needed to understand the exten t to which the behavioral styles are antecedent to preschool disruptiv e behavior disorders.