A Study on Impulsivity and Brain Dysfunction in Criminal Adolescents

Lee, Hyun Jung; Shin, Yun O; Ahn, Dong Hyun; Hong, Songdo Davis; Lee, Wontae

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Recently, the number of adolescent criminals hospitalized for evaluation or treatment of mental illness is increasing. The aim of this study was to provide basic information for the evaluation and treatment of adolescent misconducts, based on their impulsivity.
METHODS
Barrat's impulsivity test was done to 64 adolescent criminals under age of 18 who were admitted to a Juvenile School between Oct. 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004. According to their recognizing impulsivity scores, the upper 30% group (high impulsivity group: HIG) and the lower 30% group (low impulsivity group: LIG) were selected. The two groups were compared on socio-demographic data, crime characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses, Evoked Potential Latency and Amplitude, Cognitron and IQ.
RESULTS
1) The high impulsivity group had lower IQ than the low impulsivity group (p<0.01). 2) No difference was found in the seriousness of committed crimes, number of crimes and the age of first committed crimes. However, the high impulsivity group fended acting alone in committing crimes (p<0.05), and more frequently upeated same crimes (p<0.01). 3) Evoked potential latency was prolonged on FzN100 (p<0.05), CzN100 (p<0.05), PzN100 (p<0.01) and amplitude was increased on FzN100 (p<0.05), CzN100 (p<0.05), PzN100 (p<0.05) in high impulsivity group. 4) High impulsivity group showed lower scores on NOCR (p<0.01), NOCYR (p<0.01), NOCNR (p<0.01) in Cognitron. PzN100 (p<0.05) latency prolongation. CzN100 latency prolongation had positive correlation with PzN100 latency prolongation (p<0.05). 5) While the misconduct was most common problem in both groups, more ADHD diagnosis was identified in the high impulsivity group. The most frequent medical problem in low impulsivity group was with diseases of internal medicine (p<0.01) and anxiety disorders (p<0.01).
CONCLUSION
The adolescent criminals with high impulsivity tend to have lower intelligence and commit crimes repeatedly. They are frequently diagnosed to have ADHD. When they are compared to low impulsivity group, big differences are found in prolonged evoked potential latency and increased amplitude on N100. Hence, in the treatment and rehabilitative programs for them, considering these characteristics may be helpful.