Onderzoek naar de invloed van empathie en morele ontwikkeling op externaliserend probleemgedrag bij kinderen met een verhoogd risico op crimineel gedrag.

Background: Externalizing behaviour occurs in a significant proportion of Dutch children and can have negative consequences in the short and long term. It is therefore important to investigate the underlying factors of externalizing problem behaviour. Externalizing problem behaviour appears to be related to empathy and moral development according to previous research conducted among adults, the current study investigated whether a similar association occurs in children at high risk of developing criminal behaviour. When there is a link between externalizing behaviour, moral development, and empathy, preventive interventions can respond to this and potentially reduce the risk of criminal behaviour later on. Method: Participants were 8- to 13-year-old children with a high risk of developing criminal behaviour (N = 128, 75.8% boys). The at-risk children were recruited through an ongoing early identification and intervention project of the Municipality of Amsterdam, called the...Show moreBackground: Externalizing behaviour occurs in a significant proportion of Dutch children and can have negative consequences in the short and long term. It is therefore important to investigate the underlying factors of externalizing problem behaviour. Externalizing problem behaviour appears to be related to empathy and moral development according to previous research conducted among adults, the current study investigated whether a similar association occurs in children at high risk of developing criminal behaviour. When there is a link between externalizing behaviour, moral development, and empathy, preventive interventions can respond to this and potentially reduce the risk of criminal behaviour later on. Method: Participants were 8- to 13-year-old children with a high risk of developing criminal behaviour (N = 128, 75.8% boys). The at-risk children were recruited through an ongoing early identification and intervention project of the Municipality of Amsterdam, called the Preventive Intervention Team (PIT). To assess the degree of externalizing behaviour in children the Teacher Report Form (TRF) was administered to the teachers. Two self-report questionnaires, the Turiel-test and Empathy Index for Children and Adolescents (IECA), were used to assess moral development and empathy in children. Results: The results indicate that there is no association between a higher moral development and more externalizing behaviour in children at risk for developing criminal behaviour. Also, when it comes to empathy, no mediation effect was detected. Conclusion: In the present study, no significant association was established between externalizing behaviour, moral development or empathy in children at increased risk of developing criminal behaviour. The implications for early identification and intervention studies are discussed. Keywords: Externalizing behaviour; empathy; moral development.Show less

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Onderzoek naar de invloed van empathie en morele ontwikkeling op externaliserend probleemgedrag bij kinderen met een verhoogd risico op crimineel gedrag.