Mental health problems in young male offenders with and without sex offences: a comparison based on the MAYSI-2
Authors
Boonmann, CyrilNelson, Rebecca
DiCataldo, Frank
Jansen, Lucres M.C.
Doreleijers, Theo A.H.
Vermeiren, Robert
Colins, Olivier F.
Grisso, Thomas
Document Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2015-05-21Keywords
CriminologyHealth Psychology
Juvenile Law
Law and Psychology
Mental Disorders
Psychiatry
Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
BACKGROUND: There is a need for better knowledge about the relationship between sexual offending by young people and mental health problems. AIM: This study aimed to compare mental health problems between young people who commit sexual offences and those who do not. METHODS: After completion of the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Version 2 (MAYSI-2), 334 young people who, according to MAYSI-2 information, had committed a sex offence were compared with 334 young people whose MAYSI-2 data suggested that they had not committed a sex offence. They were matched for age, race/ethnicity, type of facility and adjudication status. We also examined the young sex offenders for within group differences. RESULTS: The young sex offenders were less likely to report anger-irritability or substance misuse than the comparison youths. Within the sex offender group, older juveniles were more likely to report alcohol and drug use problems than younger ones, Caucasians were more likely to report anger and suicidal ideation than their non-Caucasian peers, those detained were more likely to report alcohol and drug use problems and somatic complaints than those on probation, and convicted youths were more likely to report alcohol and drug use problems and anger-irritability than those awaiting trial. CONCLUSIONS: Juvenile sexual offending seems less likely to be committed in the context of an anti-social lifestyle than other offending. Important findings among young sex offenders are their higher levels of mental health problems among those detained and convicted than among those on probation or awaiting trial. Assessment of the mental health of young sex offenders seems to be even more important the further they are into the justice system.Source
Crim Behav Ment Health. 2015 May 21. doi: 10.1002/cbm.1961. Link to article on publisher's siteDOI
10.1002/cbm.1961Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/30709PubMed ID
25995126Related Resources
Link to Article in PubMedae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1002/cbm.1961