Troubled preteens may become delinquents | Canada | News | Toronto Sun

Troubled preteens may become delinquents | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
MONTREAL — Preteens dabbling in vandalism, bullying and truancy are more likely to be in trouble with the law as teenagers, according to a new study by Montreal researchers.
Eric Lacourse, the study’s lead author, also said the way we deal with kids showing signs of so- called ‘conduct disorder’ may actually be detrimental.
“What we found in the research group was that youth who were sent through the legal system or placed in youth detention ended up worse,” he said.
“We haven’t developed the techniques to reduce conduct problems, but we know what doesn’t work. That’s already a step in the right direction.”
"Conduct disorders" refers to a group of behavioural problems seen in youth. Children and teens displaying these problems are involved in everything from physical aggression and property damage to more small-time rule breaking like lying, shoplifting and skipping school.
University of Montreal researchers looked at 4,125 youth when they were between 12 and 13, and again when they were between 14 and 15.
A small percentage – 1.4% - had severe conduct problems while another 13% of them showed non-aggressive symptoms of the disorder.
The more troubled kids – the ones who regularly stole, destroyed property, bullied other kids and got into fights – were found to be six times more likely to sell drugs, eight times more likely to be arrested, nine times more likely to join a gang and 11 times more likely to carry a weapon as teenagers than their peers.
But the psychologist also found that the preteens with the more mild symptoms of the disorder also had a greater risk a getting in trouble later on.
“Despite the symptoms that seemed trivial they were still at a risk for serious delinquency later,” he said.
He said it indicated that teachers and parents shouldn’t just brush off these behaviours as youthful high jinks.
The research was published in the December issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.