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Antisocial Behavior Prevention: Toward a Developmental Biopsychosocial Perspective

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Clinical Forensic Psychology

Abstract

Antisocial behavior (ASB) is an enduring social and health problem that includes a wide spectrum of distinct behaviors throughout development. However, there is much evidence of associations across behaviors and over time. Developmental models that addressed the causes of ASB appeared 150 years ago and alternately adopted genetic, evolutionist, bio-systemic, social-learning, or modeling arguments, in promoting competing biological and psychosocial perspectives. At the end of the twentieth century, the developmental, biopsychosocial approach emerged as an integrative framework based on three decades of longitudinal studies. This approach uses cross-discipline methodologies, intergenerational birth cohort designs and genetically informed studies, and the joint investigation of biological, psychological, and social characteristics to advance understanding of ASB and to promote preventive interventions throughout an individual’s life and across generations.

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Further Reading Suggestions

  • Belsky, J., & van Ijzendoorn, M. H. (2015). What works for whom? Genetic moderation of intervention efficacy. Development and Psychopathology27(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579414001254

  • Boomsma, D., Busjahn, A., & Peltonen, L. (2002). Classical twin studies and beyond. Nature Reviews. Genetics3(11), 872–882. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg932

  • Holz, N. E., Zohsel, K., Laucht, M., Banaschewski, T., Hohmann, S., & Brandeis, D. (2018). Gene x environment interactions in conduct disorder: Implications for future treatments. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 91, 239–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.017

  • McDonough-Caplan, H. M., & Beauchaine, T. P. (2018). Conduct disorder: A neurodevelopmental perspective. In M. M. Martel (Ed), Developmental pathways to disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders, pp. 53–89, London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tremblay, R. E., Vitaro, F., & Côté, S. M. (2018). Developmental Origins of Chronic Physical Aggression: A bio-psycho-social model for the next generation of preventive interventions. Annual Review of Psychology, 69, 383–407. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010416-044030

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Carbonneau, R., Tremblay, R.E. (2022). Antisocial Behavior Prevention: Toward a Developmental Biopsychosocial Perspective. In: Garofalo, C., Sijtsema, J.J. (eds) Clinical Forensic Psychology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80882-2_2

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