Goulter Natalie, Hur Yoon S, Jones Damon E, Godwin Jennifer, McMahon Robert J, Dodge Kenneth A, Lansford Jennifer E, Lochman John E, Bates John E, Pettit Gregory S, Crowley D Max
Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2024 Mar;65(3):328-339. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13837. Epub 2023 May 31.
Across several sites in the United States, we examined whether kindergarten conduct problems among mostly population-representative samples of children were associated with increased criminal and related (criminal + lost offender productivity + victim; described as criminal + victim hereafter) costs across adolescence and adulthood, as well as government and medical services costs in adulthood.
Participants (N = 1,339) were from two multisite longitudinal studies: Fast Track (n = 754) and the Child Development Project (n = 585). Parents and teachers reported on kindergarten conduct problems, administrative and national database records yielded indexes of criminal offending, and participants self-reported their government and medical service use. Outcomes were assigned costs, and significant associations were adjusted for inflation to determine USD 2020 costs.
A 1SD increase in kindergarten conduct problems was associated with a $21,934 increase in adolescent criminal + victim costs, a $63,998 increase in adult criminal + victim costs, a $12,753 increase in medical services costs, and a $146,279 increase in total costs. In the male sample, a 1SD increase in kindergarten conduct problems was associated with a $28,530 increase in adolescent criminal + victim costs, a $58,872 increase in adult criminal + victim costs, and a $144,140 increase in total costs. In the female sample, a 1SD increase in kindergarten conduct problems was associated with a $15,481 increase in adolescent criminal + victim costs, a $62,916 increase in adult criminal + victim costs, a $24,105 increase in medical services costs, and a $144,823 increase in total costs.
This investigation provides evidence of the long-term costs associated with early-starting conduct problems, which is important information that can be used by policymakers to support research and programs investing in a strong start for children.
在美国的多个地点，我们研究了大多具有人口代表性的儿童样本在幼儿园阶段的行为问题，是否与青少年期和成年期犯罪及相关（犯罪 + 罪犯生产力损失 + 受害者；以下简称为犯罪 + 受害者）成本的增加有关，以及与成年期政府和医疗服务成本的增加有关。
参与者（N = 1339）来自两项多地点纵向研究：快车道研究（n = 754）和儿童发展项目（n = 585）。家长和教师报告了幼儿园阶段的行为问题，行政和国家数据库记录提供了犯罪指数，参与者自行报告了他们使用政府和医疗服务的情况。结果被赋予成本，显著关联经通胀调整以确定2020年美元成本。
幼儿园行为问题增加1个标准差与青少年犯罪 + 受害者成本增加21,934美元、成年期犯罪 + 受害者成本增加63,998美元、医疗服务成本增加12,753美元以及总成本增加146,279美元相关。在男性样本中，幼儿园行为问题增加1个标准差与青少年犯罪 + 受害者成本增加28,530美元、成年期犯罪 + 受害者成本增加58,872美元以及总成本增加144,140美元相关。在女性样本中，幼儿园行为问题增加1个标准差与青少年犯罪 + 受害者成本增加15,481美元、成年期犯罪 + 受害者成本增加62,916美元、医疗服务成本增加24,105美元以及总成本增加144,823美元相关。
本调查提供了与早期出现的行为问题相关的长期成本的证据，这是政策制定者可用于支持为儿童提供良好开端的研究和项目的重要信息。
