PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR MALE-SUBJECTS AT HIGH-RISKFOR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR

Objective: This study examines the role of elevated autonomic nervous system reactivity in protecting individuals at high risk for criminal behavior from antisocial outcomes. The authors hypothesized that subje cts with criminal fathers who did not become criminals themselves were biologically protected from such an outcome because of, in part, heig htened responsiveness of the autonomic nervous system. Method: Ninety- four male subjects were placed into one of foul. study groups: crimina l with criminal father (N=26), noncriminal with criminal father (N=24) , criminal with noncriminal father (N=20), and noncriminal with noncri minal father (N=24). Skin conductance and heart rate data were gather in an orienting paradigm. Results: Skin conductance and heart rate ori enting reactivity were found to be significantly higher in the group o f noncriminal subjects with criminal fathers than in the other three g roups. Conclusions. For subjects at high risk for criminal behavior, h eightened autonomic nervous system responsiveness appears to be associ ated with lower likelihood of criminal outcome.