Brazilian studies highlight importance of academic performance in preventing conduct disorders and criminal behaviour
Groundbreaking studies from the Centre for Human Development and Violence Research (DOVE) at the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel) have shed new light on the impact of education in reducing crime rates in Brazil. The research focuses on the association between academic performance and the development of conduct disorders and criminal behaviour in two generations in Pelotas, with important implications for early intervention and prevention.
In the article “Educational performance and conduct problem trajectories from childhood to adolescence: Observational and genetic associations in a Brazilian birth cohort,” published in the Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, researchers analysed data from a longitudinal study that followed 3,469 babies babies born in Pelotas in 2004 until they reached 15 years of age. The researchers collected data on grade retention up to the age of 11 and the occurrence of conduct disorders at 4, 6, 11, and 15 years of age. This universe of more than 3.4 thousand children was then divided into four groups according to the onset and duration of conduct disorders: early‐onset persistent, in which conduct problems emerge in childhood and persist into adolescence; childhood‐limited, in which conduct problems remit in the transition from childhood to adolescence; adolescence‐onset, in which conduct problems first emerge in adolescence; and low conduct problems. The most common examples of child conduct disorders were aggressiveness and fights, theft, and use of lies.
The study shows that grade retention is associated with an increase in conduct disorders in all occurrence groups, but this increase is even greater for disorders that arise in childhood and persist into adolescence. For instance, children who repeated at least one year by the age of eleven were three times more likely to develop early‐onset persistent conduct disorders than those with no grade retention.
“These findings highlight the importance of early interventions in preventing retention and supporting good academic performance, which, in turn, can reduce the risk of conduct disorders in children and adolescents,” says epidemiologist and lead author of the study, Thais Silva. “Observing the negative effects of retention, the ideal would be to invest in support measures and actions that prevent the student from reaching this situation,” she adds.
In another study published in the Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology, data show that school performance is related to involvement in crimes in early adulthood. The study “School Performance and Young Adult Crime in a Brazilian Birth Cohort” analysed a cohort of individuals born in Pelotas in 1993 and found that those who repeated grades were more likely to commit crimes in adulthood, even after controlling for factors such as socioeconomic status, risky behaviours in adolescence, and family characteristics.
The researchers followed the 1993 cohort from birth to adulthood, collecting data from 3,584 participants on the number of grade retentions up to the age of 18 and on the involvement in violent and non-violent crimes at the age of 22. The most common violent crimes were physical assault against third parties, robbery, and use of weapons, and the most frequent non-violent crimes were drug trafficking, vandalism practices, and shoplifting.
The results indicate that young people who repeated three or more years of school had a 2.5 times higher likelihood of committing crimes than those who did not repeat a year. However, a relevant aspect of the findings is that the likelihood of committing crimes significantly decreased when young people completed high school by the age of 22, regardless of the number of grade retentions. For example, the chance decreased by 50% for violent crimes and by 70% for non-violent crimes among those who completed high school compared to those who did not complete the school curriculum.
The emotional toll of repeating a grade is thought to play a role in this increased risk of criminal behaviour. Adolescents who repeat a grade not only lose their peers of the same age but also face societal expectations regarding age-appropriate academic performance. In addition, being out of sync with their age group can lead to a breakdown of social ties. As a coping mechanism, they might seek out older peers who engage in antisocial behaviours.
The researchers argue that the results highlight the importance of education-focused public policy. “Investing in education can have a cascading effect on individuals’ lives, including reducing crime,” says epidemiologist and study leader Rafaela Martins. “We need to offer quality educational opportunities for all age groups. Education is a powerful tool in preventing crime and strengthening communities,” she adds.
“As an organisation committed to studying evidence-based ways to prevent violence, we believe that investment in education, starting from preschool and including infrastructure, teacher training, and specialisation, is fundamental to people’s well-being and societal progress,” adds Joseph Murray, director of DOVE. “This study reminds us of the importance of investing in education and providing support for initiatives that can help improve people’s lives,” he concludes.
References
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40865-022-00214-x
https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcv2.12105
