King's College London

Academic Institute

Edward Dylan BarkerJacintha Tieskens | PhD-student

B3687

Experiences of childhood maltreatment is suggested as an important risk factor for the development of delinquent behaviour. Heightened sensation-seeking is related to the development of delinquency. Moreover, sensation-seeking, or biological correlates of sensation-seeking, are suggested as factors linking childhood maltreatment to delinquency. More specifically, it is hypothesized that epigenetic correlates of sensation-seeking might function as a mechanism for translating environmental signals into biological changes that may subsequently lead to maladaptive behavior development. In this study we will try to identify the epigenetic correlates of sensation-seeking in children and investigate whether these epigenetic correlates are influenced by earlier experiences of childhood maltreatment and may impact subsequent development of delinquency in early adolescence.

Important information will become available on possible mechanisms of how adverse social experiences may become ‘under the skin’ and lead to maladaptive behavioural outcomes, such as delinquency. In addition, the role of sensation-seeking in the development of delinquency will become clearer and this information may help prevention programs to focus on important precursors of delinquent behaviour instead of intervene when delinquent symptoms are already present.

12/01/2021