Biological Factors and Juvenile Delinquency

Delinquency

Biological Factors and Juvenile Delinquency

A biological theory or a biological factor contributing to delinquency:

A genetic propensity for addiction

Although many teens experiment with drugs and alcohol, not all teens become addicted. Biological as well as social factors can impact an adolescent's propensity to become addicted to illicit substances. According to the research study, "Youth substance use and body composition: Does risk in one area predict risk in the other?" from the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, a positive association has been found in numerous studies between high adolescent BMI and alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use (Pasch et al. 2012). The willingness to engage in illegal behavior regarding drugs and alcohol has thus been linked to a higher BMI in youth and adolescents.

The authors of the study initially speculated that this association might be due to the fact that overweight teens use smoking as an appetite suppressant, or the calories in alcohol lead to weight gain. However, they also found evidence for a biological or genetic root regarding a lack of impulse control that might link the behaviors. Substance abuse and overeating may be linked because they indicate a biological propensity for risk-taking behavior and poor impulse control that results in unhealthy behaviors (Pasch et al. 2012). The use of alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit drugs as well as fighting and other delinquent behavior in the 7 the grade was linked to higher-than-average BMI in 8th grade (Pasch 2012).

Epigenetic factors may also account for this association. Teens who have a genetic propensity for addiction and use drugs may be less inclined to engage in physical activity, and associate with teens who also are not inclined to engage in physical activity. It might also be theorized that body composition may cause a propensity for substance abuse, as teens with high BMIs may seek refuge in drugs and alcohol as a comfort from stigmatization by their peers, however, the authors did not find a positive correlation between obesity and later drug use -- rather it found that teens inclined to engage in substance abuse were more inclined to be overweight but overweight teens as a whole were not more inclined to be addicted to drugs.

Thus, there is a strong indication that there is a biological 'profile' for adolescents of an addictive, risk-seeing personality which can put their health at risk. The evidence supports the notion that the biological effects of the drugs themselves are not causing the weight gain. Even cigarette smoking, which is usually associated as a weight loss strategy amongst adults was associated with higher BMIs in students as they progressed through school.

It has also been noted that addiction fundamentally alters the brain, and the adolescent brain is particularly vulnerable to influence from the dangers of substance abuse. A risk-seeking personality may drive an adolescent to use drugs and 'act out.' Once the inhibitory mechanisms are lowered and the need to replicate the high of using after drugs has been sharpened, the adolescent may turn to food as another coping mechanism to replicate the highs of addiction.