Early Prevention of Antisocial Personality: Long-Term Follow-up of Two Randomized Controlled Trials Comparing Indicated and Selective Approaches

Scott, S., J. Briskman, and T.G. O'Connor, (2014). Early Prevention of Antisocial Personality: Long-Term Follow-up of Two Randomized Controlled Trials Comparing Indicated and Selective Approaches. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(6): p. 649-657.

Prevention of antisocial personality in childhood has been advocated, but evidence for effective interventions is lacking.

The authors conducted two follow-up studies of randomized trials of group parent training. One involved 120 clinic-referred 3- to 7-year-olds with severe antisocial behavior for whom treatment was indicated, 93 of whom were reassessed between ages 10 and 17. The other involved 109 high-risk 4- to 6-year-olds with elevated antisocial behavior who were selectively screened from the community, 90 of whom were reassessed between ages 9 and 13.

In the indicated sample, both elements of antisocial personality were improved in the early intervention group at long-term follow-up compared with the control group.

Read the article (PDF)