Antisocial behaviour across the life course: An examination of the effects of early onset desistence and early onset persistent antisocial behaviour in adulthood

There is evidence to show that individuals who have persistent behaviour problems over time have the worst outcomes across a range of domains. However, the adult outcomes of those who have high levels of behavioural problems in childhood but desist by adolescence remain relatively under‐investigated. This article examines different patterns of antisocial behaviour over the life course using the Australian Mater University Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), a prospective longitudinal study of mothers and their children up to age 21. Antisocial behaviour is measured using the Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist at ages 5 and 14. Young adult outcomes (age 21) of health problems, educational attainment, employment, marriage, discomfort with relationships, and anxiety and depression are examined. Multinomial logistic regression analyses show that those individuals who no longer showed high levels of antisocial behaviour in adolescence continued to have problems across several outcomes. However, the worst outcomes were observed for those individuals with persistent behaviour problems in childhood and adolescence. Overall, the evidence supports the importance of programmes which aim to not only prevent the onset of early childhood antisocial behaviour, but to also draw attention to the need to address antisocial behaviour that emerges during adolescence.