BOYS BEHAVIORAL-INHIBITION AND THE RISK OF LATER DELINQUENCY

Background: In some studies, shyness and anxiety have protected at-ris k boys from developing delinquency. In others, shyness and withdrawal have increased risk. We argue that this is because behavioral inhibiti on, which is the protective factor, has been confounded with social wi thdrawal and other constructs. Our study addresses 3 major questions: (1) is behavioral inhibition, as distinguished from social withdrawal, a protective factor in the development of delinquency; (2) does the p rotective effect depend on whether disruptiveness is also present; and (3) does inhibition increase the risk of later depressive symptoms ev en if it protects against delinquency? Methods: The subjects were boys from low socioeconomic status areas of Montreal, Quebec. Age 10- to 1 2-year predictors were peer-rated inhibition, withdrawal, and disrupti veness; age 13- to 15-year outcomes were self-rated depressive symptom s and delinquency. Eight age 10- to 12-year behavioral profiles were c ompared with 4 age 13- to 15-year outcome profiles. Results: Inhibitio n seemed to protect disruptive and nondisruptive boys against delinque ncy. Disruptive boys who were noninhibited were more likely than chanc e to become delinquent; disruptive boys who were inhibited were not. I nhibition did not increase the risk for depression among disruptive bo ys. Among nondisruptive boys, only nondisruptive-inhibited boys were s ignificantly less likely than chance to become delinquent. However, wi thdrawal was not protective. Disruptive-withdrawn boys were at the gre atest risk for delinquency or delinquency with depressive symptoms. Co nclusion: Inhibition and social withdrawal, although behaviorally simi lar, present different risks for later outcomes and, therefore, should be differentiated conceptually and empirically.