Antisocial behaviour and postnatal environment: a French adoption study.

The higher rate of antisocial behaviour in children from lower class environments has been hypothesized as arising from (a) genetic social class differences and/or (b) cultural/environmental disadvantages. The present study aims to evaluate the strength of the incidence of social class on adolescent antisocial behaviour. To separate genetic factors and the prenatal environment from postnatal rearing conditions, 77 children relinquished at birth and adopted before the age of 3 were studied. Using the Rutter "Children's Behaviour Questionnaire for Completion by Teachers", eight antisocial behaviours were assessed when subjects were in late adolescence. With the exception of theft and bullying, results indicate that the higher the adoptive parental social class, the lower the antisocial behaviour rates in the adoptees. It is shown that the relationship between the total score of adoptees' antisocial behaviour and social class cannot be attributed exclusively to a concentration of these behaviours in the lowest class. No significant selective placement was observed. Concordances and discrepancies with previous studies are discussed.