Predicting daily-life antisocial behaviour in institutionalized adolescents with Transgression-related Implicit Association Tests. Issue 6 (2nd November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Suter, Maya; Pihet, Sandrine; Zimmermann, Grégoire; de Ridder, Jill; Urben, Sébastien; Stephan, Philippe
• Is Part Of: Journal of forensic psychiatry & psychology. Volume 28:Issue 6(2017)
• Page Start: 881
• Page End: 900
• Publication Date: 2017-11-02
• Subjects: Institutionalized adolescents -- antisocial behaviour -- explicit and implicit measures -- Implicit Association Test -- Ecological Momentary Assessment; Forensic psychiatry -- Periodicals; Forensic psychology -- Periodicals; 614.1
• DOI: 10.1080/14789949.2017.1332772
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-9949

Abstract

Abstract: This study investigated whether implicit attitude (IA) and implicit self-concept (ISC) towards transgression predicted daily-life antisocial behaviour (ASB) in institutionalized adolescents. Eighty-seven adolescents completed two Implicit Association Tests (IAT) assessing IA and ISC towards transgression, and reported four times a day during eight days the intensity of their ASB. Staff members concurrently reported the intensity of each adolescent's ASB. Adolescents filled in the Inventory for Callous-Unemotional Traits and answered a semi-structured interview assessing conduct disorder. Multilevel regression analyses confirmed that adolescents' ISC towards transgression significantly predicted their self - and staff-reported ASB over and above conduct disorder and callous-unemotional traits. However, adolescents' IA towards transgression did not predict their ASB. Results indicate that ISC towards transgression is a reliable predictor of daily-life ASB in institutionalized adolescents. These results suggest that transgression-related ISC represents a promising target for ASB prevention in institutionalized adolescents.