Functions of Aggression & Delinquency: The Moderating Role of Parent Criminality & Friends' Gang Membership

This study examined the relationships between two functions of aggression (i.e., reactive and proactive) and delinquency, including the moderating effects of parent criminality and friends' gang membership, in a sample of 1,027 Singaporean adolescents from Grade 7 to Grade 9, with age ranging from 12 to 19 years (M = 14.10, SD = 1.15). 

Findings suggested that both reactive aggression and proactive aggression significantly and positively predicted delinquency (after controlling for proactive aggression and reactive aggression, respectively), with proactive aggression being a stronger predictor. Friends' gang membership was found to moderate the relationship between reactive aggression and delinquency, and proactive aggression and delinquency, with stronger moderator effects for the latter. Those who were aggressive proactively and who had friends in a gang appear to be impacted most negatively with respect to delinquency. Parent criminality did not moderate these relationships. 

These findings highlight the need to effectively address the issues of child and adolescent aggression. Also, developing positive peer relations early is crucial for delinquency prevention.

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By:  Ang RP1, Huan VS2, Li X2, Chan WT2.

• 1National Institue of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore rebecca.ang@nie.edu.sg.
• 2National Institue of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. 
• J Interpers Violence. 2016 Mar 2. pii: 0886260516636066.

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Impact of Childhood Maltreatment on Recidivism in Youth Offenders

The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of childhood maltreatment on youth offender recidivism in Singapore. The study used case file coding on a sample of 3,744 youth offenders, among whom about 6% had a childhood maltreatment history. The results showed that the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory 2.0 (YLS/CMI 2.0) ratings significantly predicted recidivism for nonmaltreated youth offenders, but not for maltreated youth offenders. Using propensity score matching, the result from a Cox regression analysis showed that maltreated youth offenders were 1.38 times as likely as their nonmaltreated counterparts to reoffend with a follow-up period of up to 7.4 years. The results implied that the YLS/CMI 2.0 measures were insufficient for assessing the risk for recidivism for the maltreated youth offenders, and that other information is needed to help assessors use the professional override when making the overall risk ratings.

...Specifically, the present study showed that the recidivism rate for maltreated offenders was higher at 57% as compared with 38% for nonmaltreated offenders. This pattern of higher recidivism rate among maltreated offenders was similar to previous studies. For example, the recidivism rate was 56% versus 41% among U.S. youth who were involved in both child protection and juvenile probation services as compared with those delinquency cases only (Huang et al., 2012). These results suggest that youth offenders with a childhood maltreatment history are at higher risk of reoffending than those without.

The current study also showed that the maltreated youth offenders had different profiles. For example, the maltreated offenders were arrested for the first time about half a year younger on average than the nonmaltreated offenders. This is consistent with previous research in that childhood maltreatment may “speed up the age” when an individual becomes involved in criminal activities (Widom, 1989). In addition, previous studies have found that earlier engagement in criminal activities is one of the strongest predictors of recidivism (Barrett, Katsiyannis, & Zhang, 2010; Benda, Corwyn, & Toombs, 2001; Cottle et al., 2001; K. C. Thompson & Morris, 2013). Prevention programs can thus focus on dealing with the youth’s early entry into the juvenile justice system, especially for the maltreated children, by promoting effective parenting skills and increasing family supervision (Borum, 2003). It is also important that existing policies relating to youth services ensure that these maltreated youth are promptly provided with the relevant treatment services to address trauma-related problems.

On top of the differences pertaining to personal traits, the current research showed that more maltreated youth offenders were from a background with household and parental problems. These findings suggest that children from certain families are more likely to be maltreated and such differences in their background may confound the true relationship between childhood maltreatment and recidivism. Unlike most of the previous studies that gauge childhood maltreatment effect without a proper control group, the present study used nonmaltreated youth offenders with similar backgrounds as control. Controlling for other variables and differences in the follow-up period, the maltreated youth offenders were 1.38 times as likely to reoffend as the nonmaltreated offenders. In other words, childhood maltreatment was a unique contributor of youth offender recidivism even after controlling for their YLS/CMI 2.0 Overall Risk Ratings, as well as another 15 risk factors relating to their personal characteristics, household environment, and parental background.

There is a possibility that maltreated youth offenders might have developed distinct characteristics that made them more prone to future criminal behavior. Specifically, maltreated youth offenders had significantly higher levels of criminogenic needs in terms of antisocial personality. This suggests that the link between childhood maltreatment and delinquency may be mediated by personality traits... 

Below:  Survival curve for maltreated and nonmaltreated youth offenders with different risk levels of recidivism in the full sample

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/HekxwQ

By:  Dongdong Li, Chi Meng Chu, Joseph Teck Ling Goh, Irene Y. H. Ng, and Gerald Zeng

Joseph Teck Ling Goh, Ministry of Social and Family Development;

Contributor Information.

Dongdong Li, Centre for Research on Rehabilitation and Protection, Ministry of Social and Family Development, 512 Thomson Road, #12-00 MSF Building, Singapore 298136, Singapore; e-mail: gs.vog.fsm@gnodgnod_il.

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Determinants of Heterosexual Adolescents Having Sex with Female Sex Workers in Singapore

OBJECTIVES:

We assessed the proportion of and socio-ecological factors associated with ever having had sex with female sex workers (FSWs) among heterosexual adolescents. We also described the characteristics of the adolescents who reported inconsistent condom use with FSWs.

METHODS:

This is a cross-sectional study (response rate: 73%) of 300 heterosexually active male adolescents of 16 to 19 years attending a national STI clinic in Singapore between 2009 and 2014. We assessed the ecological factors (individual, parental, peer, school and medial influences) and sexual risk behaviors using a self-reported questionnaire. Poisson regression was used to obtain the adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS:

The proportion of heterosexual male adolescents who had ever had sex with FSWs was 39%. Multivariate analysis showed that significant factors associated with ever having had sex with FSWs were sex initiation before 16 years old (aPR 1.79 CI: 1.30-2.46), never had a sexually active girlfriend (aPR 1.75 CI 1.28-2.38), reported lower self-esteem score (aPR 0.96 CI: 0.93-0.98), higher rebelliousness score (aPR 1.03 CI: 1.00-1.07) and more frequent viewing of pornography (aPR 1.47 CI: 1.04-2.09). Lifetime inconsistent condom use with FSWs was 30%.

CONCLUSIONS:

A significant proportion of heterosexual male adolescents attending the public STI clinic had ever had sex with FSWs. A targeted intervention that addresses different levels of influence to this behavior is needed. This is even more so because a considerable proportion of adolescents reported inconsistent condom use with FSWs, who may serve as a bridge of STI transmission to the community. National surveys on adolescent health should include the assessment of frequency of commercial sex visits and condom use with FSWs for long-term monitoring and surveillance.

Below:  Percentage of sexually active adolescents aged 16–19 years who used condom inconsistently with female sex workers in the past year by country of female sex workers

Below:  Percentage of sexually active adolescents aged 16–19 years who used condom inconsistently with female sex workers in the past year by type of female sex workers

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/IkwOlI

By:  Ng JY¹, Wong ML¹.

¹Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.

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Incidence, Trends and Ethnic Differences of Oropharyngeal, Anal and Cervical Cancers: Singapore, 1968-2012

In recent decades, several Western countries have reported an increase in oropharyngeal and anal cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Trends in HPV-associated cancers in Asia have not been as well described. 

We describe the epidemiology of potentially HPV-related cancers reported to the Singapore Cancer Registry from 1968–2012. Analysis included 998 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), 183 anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) and 8,019 invasive cervical cancer (ICC) cases. Additionally, 368 anal non-squamous cell carcinoma (ANSCC) and 2,018 non-oropharyngeal head and neck carcinoma (non-OP HNC) cases were included as comparators. 

Age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) were determined by gender and ethnicity (Chinese, Malay and Indian). Joinpoint regression was used to evaluate annual percentage change (APC) in incidence. OPSCC incidence increased in both genders (men 1993–2012, APC = 1.9%, p<0.001; women 1968–2012, APC = 2.0%, p = 0.01) and was 5 times higher in men than women. In contrast, non-OP HNC incidence declined between 1968–2012 among men (APC = -1.6%, p<0.001) and women (APC = -0.4%, p = 0.06). ASCC and ANSCC were rare (ASR = 0.2 and 0.7 per 100,000 person-years, respectively) and did not change significantly over time except for increasing ANSCCs in men (APC = 2.8%, p<0.001). ICC was the most common HPV-associated cancer (ASR = 19.9 per 100,000 person-years) but declined significantly between 1968–2012 (APC = -2.4%). Incidence of each cancer varied across ethnicities. 

Similar to trends in Western countries, OPSCC incidence increased in recent years, while non-OP HNC decreased. ICC remains the most common HPV-related cancer in Singapore, but Pap screening programs have led to consistently decreasing incidence.

Below:  Incidence of oropharyngeal and non-oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in Singapore 1968–2012, by gender

Below:  Incidence of invasive anal cancer in Singapore, 1968–2012, by gender and histology

Below:  Incidence of invasive cervical cancer in Singapore, 1968–2012, by ethnicity

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/d8E8Xy

By:   

Jennifer O. Lam, Gypsyamber D’Souza

Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Wei-Yen Lim

Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

Khuan-Yew Chow

National Registry of Diseases Office, Singapore, Singapore

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Gender Differences in Factors Associated With Anal Intercourse Among Heterosexual Adolescents in Singapore

Via:   http://ht.ly/QIFyi HT @NUSingapore