Antisocial? Join the Mental Illness Club!

Another day, another study. This time headlines say antisocial/”unruly” behavior may be a sign of mental illness. Funny thing, though, is that while the headlines read “Anti-social behaviour ‘is a mental illness,’” the content of the study as described in the same publication doesn’t seem to explain that at all. Here’s what I mean. This is from the Daily Telegraph:

Research carried out by Cambridge University found differences in the brain chemistry in youths with behaviour problems when they were under stress. The team subjected 165 boys from schools, pupil referral units, and the Youth Offending Service to stressful situations designed to induce frustration. There were 70 boys with a diagnosis of conduct problems and 95 with no history of behaviour problems or psychiatric disorders to compare to the first group. All were aged between 14 and 18.

They all played a video game in which the pre-recorded opponent always failed to cooperate and sent antagonistic messages. The boys had to play a game under time pressure with the video opponent and the experimenter watching and the opponent continually giving negative assessments of their performance. Normally, in these situations, the body increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol which makes people focus more, behave more cautiously and regulate their temper and violence. But in the boys with severe anti-social behaviour problems, the cortisol levels actually went down.

The scientists, led by Dr Graeme Fairchild and Professor Ian Goodyer, said: “If we can figure out precisely what underlies the inability to show a normal stress response, we may be able to design new treatments for severe behaviour problems. We may also be able create targeted interventions for those at higher risk. …

I don’t feel like that justifies the headline, nor those of other publications:

Anti-social behaviour in some youths could be form of mental illness

How about this instead: Antisocial behaviour hormone link [BBC]

liz | 11:30 AM | Uncategorized