Antisocial behavior entails actions that are perceived harmful because they lack the consideration of others. This type of conduct violates basic human rights and the behavior is disruption to the rest of society. Antisocial behavior entails intentional aggression and hostility. This conduct can begin at childhood and go through to adulthood or develop at any point of human development. As the name suggests, antisocial behavior affects temperament and the ability to interact with other people. Arguably, antisocial behavior develops from various causes such as genetic, environmental, and social factors.
Antisocial behavior is different from an antisocial personality disorder. Although there are similarities in the types of behaviors, the development of these two conditions makes the difference. ASPD is the consistency and stability of antisocial behavior that forms a pattern noticeable since childhood or early teenagehood and continues to adulthood. Despite time and context the behavior remains consistent and diagnosis cannot be done before an individual is 18 years. On the other hand, antisocial behavior does not necessarily have a pattern to consider or consistency. It can happen at any phase of development due to various reasons. Diagnosis happens at any age, depending on when the condition is happening. Therefore, distinguishing antisocial behavior and antisocial personality disorder is imperative.
Genetic Factors
Research on genetics has evidence that heritable influences have a contribution to antisocial behavior. A study was conducted on teenagers, and it revealed that three common variants of genes are responsible for varying levels of antisocial behavior. The three variant genes interacted with each other and other risk factors to escalate the chances of delinquency. The explanation of this study elaborates that the gene does not directly cause antisocial behavior. However, its interaction with the environment is what develops antisocial behavior.
The findings of this study revealed the vulnerability of teenagers as well as other people. A positive environment causes above-average outcomes, while negative environments result in above-average worse outcomes. Genes alter the sensitivity of the environment, and hence, reaction to the environment varies for different people. One of the genes considered in this study is the monoamine oxidase and an enzyme known to degrade neurotransmitters such as serotonin or dopamine. Other studies have confirmed that some genes are more active than others. The less active gene causes increased violent behavior and crime.
Another study revealed the relationship between genotypes and other risk factors in developing antisocial behavior. The study involved adolescents and their parents where interaction of genotype and parental influence was facilitated. Results indicated that negative parenting and little warmth triggered antisocial behavior. This includes both aggressive and non-aggressive antisocial behavior. Therefore, genetics do not function alone in developing antisocial behavior. They are accompanied by other risk factors, which bring the outcome of delinquency.
While environmental factors are determinants of antisocial behavior, abnormalities in the brain are also a contribution to the problem. A study revealed that five teenagers in every one hundred acquire conduct disorder, which develops at childhood or teenagehood. Teenagers with this problem had abnormal brain function. Initially, it was thought that the teenagers developed antisocial behavior due to peer pressure. Brain scans of teenagers with abnormal brain functions were shown different images during the activity. Due to the disorder, these teenagers revealed less activity in the brain areas responsible for processing emotions. Thus, it explained why teenagers with disorders are unable to empathize with others.
Disorders and mental illnesses can develop antisocial behavior. Studies uncovered that that affected teenagers could have co-occurrence of depression symptoms and antisocial behavior. Some of the causes of depression for teenagers have been known to compound the problem of antisocial behavior. Teenagers spending more than three hours on social media are prone to mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, aggression, and antisocial behavior. The adverse effects of social media manifest in two ways. Internally, teenagers develop psychological problems of anxiety, stress and depression. In such situations, social media is capable of directly causing antisocial conduct, or teenagers can develop it from the occurrence of depression. Thus, social media requires moderation to prevent mental illness or antisocial behavior.
Social media is evolving faster than people can understand it. For this reason, it is becoming a complex issue on its effects on mental health. Nonetheless, social media addiction has been confirmed to have a close relationship to antisocial behavior. Addiction to social media demands a lot of time and hence, it isolates teenagers from their social lives. Antisocial behavior is inclusive in social media addiction. Teenagers are likely to express aggression or hostility, particularly if the addiction has other complications such as depression, stress, and anxiety.
Another disorder closely linked to antisocial behavior in teenagers is a narcissistic personality disorder. All the characteristics of this disorder are antisocial, particular for the vulnerable and grandiose types. The disorder can be diagnosed at teenagehood or early adulthood. Sometime children and some teenagers could show suggestive behavior but it may not be a disorder. Nonetheless, teenagers with narcissism will exhibit antisocial conduct due to the disorder. Narcissism is based on a false sense of self importance and self-centeredness. These two traits make narcissists always pursue their interest. Therefore, their selfishness makes them antisocial eventually.
Although narcissism is learned behavior, affected individuals acquire it through different predispositions. Research indicates that assisting narcissists is highly problematic because they do not believe they have a problem. Behavior modification for a teenager has higher success before adulthood, particularly if such a teenager has an incentive to become a better person. Thus, guardians should be swift to take action as soon as they have confirmation of antisocial behavior in their teenager.
Teenagers with antisocial behavior due to the influence of various factors require attention. Not addressing this problem will complicate the issue by introducing other behavioral disorders. Unresolved antisocial behavior could escalate to conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder. Both are common in teenagers and they have been seen to be exaggerated by developmental behaviors of this phase. Nonetheless, teenagehood crisis should not excuse antisocial behavior. Remission of deviant behavior has been known to happen before adulthood. However, parents and guardians should not wait for remission without intervening.
Environmental Factors
A study was conducted that aimed at evaluating the correlation between delinquent behavior and trauma. The teenagers under study were on the state child welfare custody. Every participant had been assessed before the study. Findings uncovered a link between sexual abuse and antisocial behavior. Particularly, violence in school and from the community showed the strongest connection to antisocial behavior. These results were an indication that lifetime trauma develops antisocial behavior in teenagers.
Trauma is a major stressor for teenagers as well as adults too. It becomes even worse when traumatic experiences are consistent in a teenager’s life. A large number of teenagers who develop antisocial behavior due to trauma never open up about their problems. Misconduct becomes their outlet of expressing internal struggles. Misconduct associated with trauma includes bullying, erratic behavior, unexplained aggression, and hostility. Although the study was specific to sexual trauma linked to antisocial behavior, other forms also develop conduct problems.
Teenagers could behave anti-socially as a way of getting attention. Expressing voluntarily traumatic experiences is not an easy thing, particularly when the environment is unfavourable. Thus, misbehaving becomes their mode of communication to anyone paying attention. Therefore, misconduct in teenagers and children should not be simply viewed as indiscipline. A pattern of misconduct suggests an underlying issue that ought to be addressed. Teenagers living with unresolved traumas risk aggravating the problem by indulging in even severe misconduct. In adulthood, past traumatic experiences continue to manifest in various abnormal mannerisms until the individuals address them.
Research has also linked frustration to aggression in relation to antisocial behavior. Unusual amounts of frustrations lead to antisocial behavior in teenagers. The frustration also causes aggression, which triggers impulsive behavior. Impulsivity and aggression, as well as, failure are hindrances of a healthy social life. Such people are unable to interact with others and even achieve personal goals.
Teenagers having this problem will struggle, making friends, and maintaining them. They will also fail to follow the rules or even drop out of school. Teenagers doing part-time jobs will be unable to keep a job. If the problem continues to be unaddressed, it progresses into adulthood and continues to cause harm. Various forms of psychotherapy can address antisocial behavior. Drug therapy may be involved in a condition that requires medication. Mostly, therapists use cognitive behavioral therapy to reform teenagehood antisocial behavior.
Conclusion
Antisocial behavior in teenagers entails a wide range of misconduct issues. This problem involves aggression, hostility, frustration, bullying, mistreating animals, arson, vandalism and any other harmful actions. Antisocial behavior is about behavior that harms or endangers the wellbeing of others. Thus, these behaviors ought to be addressed to prevent the harm from continuing. Antisocial behavior is not an issue of indiscipline. According to the numerous studies conducted, antisocial behavior is an indication of another underlying issue. Therefore, identifying the cause of this problem is a critical principle in establishing a solution.
After the cause has been identified, addressing it is crucial in restoring normal behavior. Disregarding antisocial behavior has proven detrimental for teenagers and society. Their conduct becomes a problem to society even when they become adults. Consequently, addressing antisocial behavior is mandatory for the wellbeing of the individual and the entire society. Professionals have identified various ways of helping teenagers, depending on the severity or magnitude of the problem.