Although the turning points theory posits that the successful
engagement of the romantic and work domains in young adulthood
represents an important opportunity for disrupting antisocial pathways,
others have recently speculated that such turning points may be most
applicable to the majority of antisocial youth who begin offending in
adolescence (Adolescence-Onset [AO]), rather than those who
begin early in childhood and persist (Early-Onset/Persistent
[EOP]). This study was designed (a) to attempt replication of
recent evidence that AOs demonstrate problem behaviors intermediate to
EOP and Never Antisocial youth in young adulthood, which was confirmed;
and (b) to examine the correlates of lower levels of antisocial
offending among AOs and EOPs in the transition to adulthood. As
expected, AOs were more likely than EOPs to desist by age 23.
Nonetheless, positive work and romantic involvement between the ages of
21 and 23 were significantly associated with less externalizing
problems for EOPs, but not AOs. In addition, illicit substance use and
deviant peer association proved to be associated with externalizing
problems at age 23, irrespective of the patterning of young
adults' antisocial behavior in childhood and adolescence. Results
suggest that the unique opportunities available in the transition to
adulthood may hold particular promise for youth with persistently
troubled early histories.The authors
acknowledge financial support for this research from the National
Institutes of Mental Health to Byron Egeland, L. Alan Sroufe, and W.
Andrew Collins (MH40864).