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Cited by 692Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual OffendingCrime Patterns and InterventionsSchizophrenia research and treatment

Mental Disorders and Violence in a Total Birth Cohort: Results From the Dunedin Study

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Arseneault, Louise, Moffitt, Terrie E., Caspi, Avshalom, Taylor, Pamela J., Silva, Phil A.·2000·Archives of General Psychiatry
DOI 10.1001/archpsyc.57.10.979
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: We report on mental disorders and violence for a birth cohort of young adults, regardless of their contact with the health or justice systems. METHODS: We studied 961 young adults who constituted 94% of a total-city birth cohort in New Zealand, April 1, 1972, through March 31, 1973. Past-year prevalence of mental disorders was measured using standardized DSM-III-R interviews. Past-year violence was measured using self-reports of criminal offending and a search of official conviction records. We also tested whether substance use before the violent offense, adolescent excessive perceptions of threat, and a juvenile history of conduct disorder accounted for the link between mental disorders and violence. RESULTS: Individuals meeting diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence, marijuana dependence, and schizophrenia-spectrum disorder were 1.9 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-3.5), 3.8 (95% CI, 2.2-6.8), and 2.5 (95% CI, 1.1-5.7) times, respectively, more likely than control subjects to be violent. Persons with at least 1 of these 3 disorders constituted one fifth of the sample, but they accounted for half of the sample's violent crimes (10% of violence risk was uniquely attributable to schizophrenia-spectrum disorder). Among alcohol-dependent individuals, violence was best explained by substance use before the offense; among marijuana-dependent individuals, by a juvenile history of conduct disorder; and among individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, by excessive perceptions of threat and a history of conduct disorder. CONCLUSIONS: In the age group committing most violent incidents, individuals with mental disorders account for a considerable amount of violence in the community. Different mental disorders are linked to violence via different core explanations, suggesting multiple-targeted prevention strategies.

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  • Individuals with problematic drinking patterns are markedly more likely to engage in violent behavior compared to those without such issues.

    “Individuals with problematic drinking patterns are markedly more likely to engage in violent behavior compared to those without such issues (Swanson et al. 1990; Arseneault et al. 2000; Coid et al. 2006)”

    From Decoding the bidirectional links between alcohol misuse and aggression: toward a unified translational framework (2026) · cites this paper as Arseneault et al. 2000

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Authors
Arseneault, L., Moffitt, T. E., Caspi, A., Taylor, P. J., & Silva, P. A.
Affiliations
University of London (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Archives of General Psychiatry
Publisher
American Medical Association (AMA)
Published
2000-10-01
Volume
57
Issue
10
Pages
979
ISSN
0003-990X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1001/archpsyc.57.10.979
OpenAlex
W1983183586
Cited by
692
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 46 · 2014: 42 · 2013: 43 · 2012: 40
FWCI
13.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Archives of General Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (9513040)
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (45070, 46344, 49414)
  • Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, King's College London, University of London
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
Keywords
mental illness, violence, young adults, birth cohort, alcoholism, cannabis use disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, conduct disorder, substance use, threat perception, offending, violence risk, prevention
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Alcoholism, Mental Disorders, Marijuana Abuse, Child, Child, Preschool, Crime, Female, Humans, Male, New Zealand, Psychotic Disorders, Social Control, Formal, Violence, Cohort Studies, Comorbidity, Conduct Disorder, Substance-Related Disorders

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