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Multilevel approaches toward understanding antisocial behavior: Current research and future directions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2012

Mandi L. Burnette  and
Dante Cicchetti
Mandi L. Burnette*
Affiliation:
University of Rochester
Dante Cicchetti*
Affiliation:
Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Mt. Hope Family Center, University of Rochester
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Mandi Burnette, Department of Clinical and Social Sciences, University of Rochester, RC Box 270266, 460 Meliora Hall, Rochester, NY 14627; E-mail: mandi.burnette@rochester.edu; or Dante Cicchetti, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, 51 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455; E-mail: cicchett@umn.edu.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Mandi Burnette, Department of Clinical and Social Sciences, University of Rochester, RC Box 270266, 460 Meliora Hall, Rochester, NY 14627; E-mail: mandi.burnette@rochester.edu; or Dante Cicchetti, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, 51 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455; E-mail: cicchett@umn.edu.
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Abstract

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Antisocial behavior is multifaceted and has a rich history of research. Nearly two decades have passed since Richters and Cicchetti (Reference Richters and Cicchetti1993a) co-edited a Special Issue in this Journal entitled, “Toward a Developmental Perspective on Conduct Disorder.” At that time, researchers in the field examined questions such as the utility of taxonomies in defining antisocial behavior (Hinshaw, Lahey, & Hart, Reference Hinshaw, Lahey and Hart1993; Richters & Cicchetti, Reference Richters and Cicchetti1993b), the developmental processes associated with the emergence of antisocial behavior in children (Loeber et al., Reference Loeber, Wung, Keenan, Giroux, Southamer-Loeber and Van Kammen1993), emerging literature on the neuropsychology of antisocial behavior (Moffitt, Reference Moffitt1993; Pennington & Bennetto, Reference Pennington and Bennetto1993), gender differences in antisocial behavior (Zahn-Waxler, Reference Zahn-Waxler1993; Zoccolillo, Reference Zoccolillo1993) and the role of attachment and families in the etiology of antisocial behavior (Greenberg, Speltz, & Deklyn, Reference Greenberg, Speltz and Deklyn1993; Waters, Posada, Crowell, & Keng-Ling, Reference Waters, Posada, Crowell and Keng-Ling1993). The issue ended by presenting some fresh approaches to the treatment of antisocial behavior in youth (Dodge, Reference Dodge1993; Kazdin, Reference Kazdin1993). At the time of publication, these manuscripts contributed a great deal to the literature on antisocial behavior, propelling the field forward into new and exciting directions.

Much has changed since the publication of that Special Issue. Advances in quantitative theory and practice have made it increasingly possible to account for heterogeneity within those who exhibit antisocial behavior using person-centered analyses and growth curve analyses (Nagin, Reference Nagin1999, Reference Nagin2005). We now have a greater understanding of the varied developmental pathways by which youth come to exhibit antisocial behavior (Campbell et al., Reference Campbell, Spieker, Vandergrift, Belsky and Burchinal2010; Mulvey et al., Reference Mulvey, Steinberg, Piquero, Besana, Fagan and Schubert2010). However, this literature is relatively new, and more work is needed in order to understand the variability in the development of antisocial behavior.

Researchers have also begun to incorporate multiple levels of analysis in their approach to studying antisocial behavior, particularly the intersection of biological and environmental influences on antisocial behavior (Cicchetti, Reference Cicchetti, Beauchaine and Hinshaw2008). We now understand that genetic vulnerabilities for violence may be moderated by extreme environmental events, such as childhood maltreatment (Caspi et al., Reference Caspi, McClay, Moffitt, Mill, Martin and Craig2002; Jaffe et al., Reference Jaffe, Caspi, Moffitt, Polo-Tomas, Price and Taylor2004; Kim-Cohen et al., Reference Kim-Cohen, Caspi, Taylor, Williams, Newcombe and Craig2006; Mead, Beauchaine, & Shannon, Reference Mead, Beauchaine and Shannon2010). The literature has moved toward understanding how distinct physiological patterns, such as low resting heart rate, may help us to further understand differences in risk for antisocial behavior (Baker et al., Reference Baker, Tuvblad, Reynolds, Zheng, Lozano and Raine2009). In this issue, authors build upon the existing research to apply a multilevel approach toward understanding antisocial behavior across many developmental periods, using a number of different phenotypic expressions of antisocial behavior (e.g., aggression, substance use).

As the field has become more multidimensional, models of how antisocial behavior develops have also become more comprehensive and innovative. Cascade approaches have highlighted the dynamic role of early experience in influencing later outcomes (Cicchetti & Tucker, Reference Cicchetti and Tucker1994; Masten & Cicchetti, Reference Masten and Cicchetti2010). Such approaches have been combined with existing models to investigate how early risk factors may impact functioning across multiple domains and levels of analysis to influence antisocial behavior. Studies have examined how early experiences shape brain development, neurotransmitter functioning, temperament, and neuroendocrine functioning, which may in turn influence antisocial behavior (Cicchetti, Reference Cicchetti, Hartup and Weinberg2002; Gunnar & Vazquez, Reference Gunnar, Vazquez, Cicchetti and Cohen2006; Mead et al., Reference Mead, Beauchaine and Shannon2010). The role of gender, attachment, and parent–child relationships can now be examined within broader contextual models of antisocial behavior. The articles in this issue share an innovative spirit and test novel theories among populations at varying levels of risk from young childhood to samples of incarcerated offenders.

Finally, the challenge in the field of antisocial behavior has been to translate this research into effective interventions. Much of this work has been informed by the literature on early parent–child relationships, examining how reducing maternal depressive symptoms (Shaw, Connell, Dishion, Wilson, & Gardner, Reference Shaw, Connell, Dishion, Wilson and Gardner2009) and changing parenting practices (Forgatch, Patterson, Degarmo, & Beldavs, Reference Forgatch, Patterson, Degarmo and Beldavs2009) may impact risk for antisocial behavior. We have asked the contributors in this Special Issue to consider the implications of their research for informing interventions.

In sum, the field of antisocial behavior has come a long way, but we still have far to go. In putting together this Special Issue, we sought to bring together researchers from disparate areas in order to provide a comprehensive perspective on the field of antisocial behavior. Contributors were encouraged to use innovative techniques and models, to consider the role of multilevel influences across multiple domains, and to reflect upon how their work could inform treatment and future research on antisocial behavior. The result is a collection of articles that we hope will prompt new ideas and questions about the study of antisocial behavior in the decades ahead.

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