Traumatic brain injury among juvenile offenders: an investigation into violent offending, intellectual functioning, substance abuse and psychological distress

Primary objective: To investigate the associations between a history of past traumatic brain injury (TBI) and violent offending as well as a range of important psychiatric, and other psychosocial characteristics in a population of young offenders. Research design: Cross-sectional analyses conducted on a sample derived from the NSW Young People on Community Orders Health Survey (YPoCOHS). Procedures: Study participants were administered a health questionnaire, a physical assessment and standardised psychological tests. Participants were questioned in relation to a history of TBI, and information on offending history was accessed through Juvenile Justice administrative records. Outcomes and results: Data were obtained from 802 young offenders. A history of TBI was associated with increased rates of mental illness and substance abuse but not with a record of violent offending. However, TBI was associated with higher scores on an anger/violence proneness scale. TBI was also associated with physical abuse/neglect, and cultural status. Surprisingly, TBI was associated with better intellectual functioning according to the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Conclusions: Among juvenile offenders, a history of TBI was associated with high-level psychosocial disadvantage and concurrent neuropsychiatric morbidity, but not more violent offending than in those without a TBI history.