Identification of neuropsychological subtypes in a sample of delinquent adolescents

Although research has long recognized a relationship between neurological d ysfunction and delinquency, the nature of this relationship is unclear. Bas ed on the theory that there may be clusters of delinquents with different t ypes of neurological dysfunction which contribute to the delinquency in dif ferent ways, the present research attempted to identify these subtypes usin g neuropsychological testing. Seventy-seven such adolescents were administe red the full Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery-III (LNNB-III) and a battery of assessments measuring behavioral functioning and substance use. A Hierarchical Cluster Analysis yielded four identifiable neuropsychologic al clusters: Verbal/Left-Hemispheric Deficits, Subcortical-Frontal Deficits , Mild-Verbal Deficits, and Normals. The distinctiveness of these subtypes was confirmed by univariate analyses. Results further indicated that the nu mber of LNNB scales that were in the abnormal range differed per subtype, w ith each subtype differing significantly from one another. These neuropsych ological subtypes were found to be associated with Specific psychological a nd behavioral problems. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.