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Identifying Children at Risk of Problematic Development: Latent Clusters Among Childhood Arrestees

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Abstract

The presence of clusters characterized by distinct profiles of individual, family and peer characteristics among childhood arrestees was investigated and cluster membership stability after 2 years was determined. Identification of such clusters in this heterogeneous at-risk group can extend insight into the presence and severity of children’s co-occurring problems and guide intervention and prevention efforts. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to detect clusters among 308 childhood arrestees (mean age 10.7 years), based on dichotomous dynamic correlates of offending present at the time of first arrest. Correlates in the individual, peer and family domains were assessed at baseline and 2-year follow-up, using standardized instruments. This resulted in identification of a low problem group characterized by few problems across all domains (40.2 %), an externalizing intermediate problem group characterized by mainly externalizing problems on the individual and peer domains (39.4 %), and a pervasive high problem group characterized by numerous problems across all domains (20.4 %). Cluster membership was most stable for the low problem group (71.4 %), followed by the externalizing intermediate problem group (49.5 %). Transition was highest in the pervasive high problem group (63.0 %), with the majority of children progressing to the externalizing intermediate problem group. The identification of such distinct clusters among childhood arrestees, differing in the presence of co-occurring problems, stresses the importance of a first police arrest as an opportunity for early recognition of children in need of care. As problems present at the time of first arrest do not persist in every child, careful periodic monitoring is needed.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the municipalities of Utrecht and Amersfoort, the Rotterdam metropolitan region, the province of Utrecht, the Kinderpostzegels Nederland Foundation, the Dutch Ministry of Justice’s Research and Documentation Center and the Police Science and Research Program. In addition, the first author received travel grants from the De Drie Lichten Foundation and the Dittmer Fund.

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Charlotte A. M. L. Geluk, Lieke van Domburgh, Theo A. H. Doreleijers, Lucres M. C. Jansen & Robert Vermeiren

  2. Department of Research and Development, LSG Rentray, Zutphen, The Netherlands

    Lieke van Domburgh

  3. Department of Criminal Justice, Leiden Law School, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Theo A. H. Doreleijers

  4. Institute of Psychology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Samantha Bouwmeester

  5. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Francisca Galindo Garre

  6. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Curium-LUMC, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Robert Vermeiren

  7. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU Medical Center, P.O. Box 303, 1115 ZG, Duivendrecht, The Netherlands

    Charlotte A. M. L. Geluk

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  1. Charlotte A. M. L. Geluk
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Correspondence to Charlotte A. M. L. Geluk.

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Geluk, C.A.M.L., van Domburgh, L., Doreleijers, T.A.H. et al. Identifying Children at Risk of Problematic Development: Latent Clusters Among Childhood Arrestees. J Abnorm Child Psychol 42, 669–680 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-013-9811-3

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