1 research outputs found
The global impact of adverse childhood experiences on criminal behavior: A cross-continental study
Background: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been associated with a greater risk of
later criminal offending. However, existing research in this area has been primarily conducted in
Western developed countries and cross-cultural studies are rare.
Objectives: This study examined the relationship between ACEs and criminal behaviors in young
adults living in 10 countries located across five continents, after accounting for sex, age, and
cross-national differences.
Participants and setting: In total, 3797 young adults aged between 18 and 20 years (M = 18.97; DP
= 0.81) were assessed locally in community settings within the 10 countries.Method: The ACE Questionnaire was used to assess maltreatment and household dysfunction
during childhood and a subset of questions derived from the Deviant Behavior Variety Scale
(DBVS) was used to determine past-year criminal variety pertaining to 10 acts considered crime
across participating countries.
Results: Physical and sexual abuse, physical neglect, and household substance abuse were related
to criminal variety, globally, and independently across sexes and countries ranked differently in
the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). In addition, three out of five experiences of
household dysfunction were related to criminal variety, but subsequent analyses indicate that
some forms of household dysfunction only hold statistical significance among males or females, or
in countries ranking lower in the HDI.
Conclusions: This research strengthens the finding that there are cross-cultural mechanisms
perpetuating the cycle of violence. It also indicates that forms of household dysfunction have an
impact on criminal behavior that is shaped by gender and the country's levels of social well-being.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio