Publications [#253448] of Terrie E. Moffitt

Journal Articles

1. Moffitt, TE (1993). "Life-course-persistent" and "adolescence-limited" antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100(4), 674-701. (Cited more than 1200 times by the end of 2005. Cited in the Respondent's Brief to the US Supreme Court in the 2005 Roper v. Simmons case that ruled the death penalty unconstitutional for crimes committed while a minor. Covered as "Delinquent Developments" in Science News, May 1, 1993, 282-284. Covered as “Growing up male. Can boys still be boys in the ‘90's?” in Today’s Parent, May, 1995. Presented as a “box” in undergraduate texts: Alloy et al. Abnormal Psychology, Oltmans & Emery, Abnormal Psychology, Seigel, Criminology, Walsh & Ellis, Global Criminology, Clemens Bartollas, Juvenile Delinquency, 6th ed., Jens Asendorph, Kapitel 6 meines Lehrbuchs Psychology der Personlichkeit.).
   (last updated on 2026/01/19)

   Abstract:
   A dual taxonomy is presented to reconcile 2 incongruous facts about antisocial behavior: (a) It shows impressive continuity overage, but (b) its prevalence changes dramatically overage, increasing almost 10-fold temporarily during adolescence. This article suggests that delinquency conceals 2 distinct categories of individuals, each with a unique natural history and etiology: A small group engages in antisocial behavior of 1 sort or another at every life stage, whereas a larger group is antisocial only during adolescence. According to the theory of life-course-persistent antisocial behavior, children's neuropsychological problems interact cumulatively with their criminogenic environments across development, culminating in a pathological personality. According to the theory of adolescence-limited antisocial behavior, a contemporary maturity gap encourages teens to mimic antisocial behavior in ways that are normative and adjustive.