The link between mental health issues and crime differs according to gender
"In all the sub-studies, I saw that externalising problems were strongly linked to crime. This is in line with previous research, but I was surprised by how clear the link was," says Linn Persson, commenting on the findings in her doctoral thesis, Mental health problems and youth offending.
Mental health issues and youth crime are often linked, but the nature of these links varies depending on the type of mental health problem and the gender of the individual. This is demonstrated by criminologist Linn Persson in a new doctoral thesis from Malmö University.
Mental health issues and youth crime are often discussed as two growing social problems. At the same time, trends vary across different groups of young people. According to Persson, a more nuanced understanding of how mental health issues and crime are linked is therefore needed.
“There is no single explanation for the link between mental health issues and youth crime. It varies depending on the type of mental health issue involved, and the links can also differ between girls and boys. Furthermore, they are influenced by other risk and environmental factors,” says Persson.
In her thesis she has investigated how different forms of mental health problems are linked to criminal behaviour during adolescence. One clear finding is that so-called externalising problems – such as impulsivity, hyperactivity, and behavioural problems – are more often associated with crime. This mainly concerns less serious offences, such as theft and criminal damage. As these problems increase or decrease over time, the level of criminal involvement also tends to change in the same direction.
“In all the sub-studies, I saw that externalising problems were strongly linked to crime. This is in line with previous research, but I was surprised by how clear the link was,” says Persson.
When it comes to more internalised problems – such as worry, low mood and anxiety – the picture is more complex. In these cases, risk and environmental factors play a greater role in shaping the relationships between these factors.
“Internalising problems appear to have a greater impact on girls’ criminal behaviour than on boys. Girls also seem to be more vulnerable to social factors, such as trauma, relationships with parents, and peer influence,” says Persson.
The findings suggest that girls’ criminal behaviour needs to be understood within a broader context, where several different factors interact. According to Persson, more research is therefore needed so that the various actors in society can identify risks at an earlier stage and provide the right support.
She hopes that her thesis will help schools, social services and the health and medical care sector to identify young people at risk more easily before problems escalate.
Background information
The thesis is based on data from Minds, a study conducted in Malmö in which the same young people have been followed over time. On several occasions during their teenage years, nearly 400 young people have answered questions about their well-being and whether they have been involved in crime.
