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Neurodevelopmental disorders and subsequent risk of violent victimization: exploring sex differences and mechanisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2021

Laura Ghirardi*
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Ralf Kuja-Halkola
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Erik Pettersson
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Amir Sariaslan
Affiliation:
Faculty of Social Sciences, Social and Public Policy Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Louise Arseneault
Affiliation:
Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
Seena Fazel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK
Brian M. D'Onofrio
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
Paul Lichtenstein
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Henrik Larsson
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
*
Author for correspondence: Laura Ghirardi, E-mail: laura.ghirardi@ki.se

Abstract

Background

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs) are associated with experiences of victimization, but mechanisms remain unclear. We explored sex differences and the role of familial factors and externalizing problems in the association between several NDs and violent victimization in adolescence and young adulthood.

Methods

Individuals born in Sweden 1985–1997, residing in Sweden at their 15th birthday, were followed until date of violent victimization causing a hospital visit or death, death due to other causes, emigration, or December 31, 2013, whichever came first. The exposures were diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID) and other NDs. We used three different Cox regression models: a crude model, a model adjusted for familial confounding using sibling-comparisons, and a model additionally adjusted for externalizing problems.

Results

Among 1 344 944 individuals followed, on average, for 5 years, 74 487 were diagnosed with NDs and 37 765 had a hospital visit or died due to violence. ADHD was associated with an increased risk of violent victimization in males [hazard ratio (HR) 2.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.43–2.70) and females (HR 5.39; 95% CI 4.97–5.85). ASD and ID were associated with an increased risk of violent victimization in females only. After adjusting for familial factors and externalizing problems, only ADHD was associated with violent victimization among males (HR 1.27; 95% CI 1.06–1.51) and females (HR 1.69; 95% CI 1.21–2.36).

Conclusions

Females with NDs and males with ADHD are at greater risk of being victim of severe violence during adolescence and young adulthood. Relevant mechanisms include shared familial liability and externalizing problems. ADHD may be independently associated with violent victimization.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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