Book Review
Adolescent Psychiatry 
Aggression, Antisocial Behavior and Violence among Girls Martha Putallaz, Karen L Bierman, editors. New York (NY): The Guilford Press; 2004. 322 p. US$38.00.
Reviewer
rating*: Fair
Review by: Vera Lantos, MD
Ottawa, Ontario
This volume is the first in a series of comprehensive studies compiled with the intent of influencing public policy. This is a valiant and long-overdue effort, particularly as we witness the alarming increase in female juvenile delinquency. Its content is organized largely along the developmental continuum.
Apart from the introductory study—with its highly subjective and confusing desire to eliminate the concept of gender (as separate from sex)—most studies make good use of this concept. At the same time, they also regret the paucity of research data and lack of knowledge concerning sex differences in brain development; constitutional, compared with sex, differences in stress reactivity; or the fine details of hormonal contributors. As the gender gap narrows in conduct disorders, Carolyn Zahn-Waxler and Nicole Polanichka explore issues of socialization that may contribute to this problem.
The second part deals with aggression and victimization among girls in childhood. We learn that, while physical aggression is the gender norm for boys, girls tend to show a relational aggression (for example gossip and exclusion) more difficult to measure, yet just as prevalent and damaging. While both victims and perpetrators are at risk in their development, children who engage in gender nonnormative types of aggression show more severe maladjustment.
The third part groups together studies that examine antisocial behaviour in adolescent girls, the key link in intergenerational transmission. Although statistically there is a clear gender difference in the expression of overt aggression, other forms of disruptive behaviour, namely oppositional behaviour, show no such difference. These behaviours often indicate first-stage socialization difficulty and emerging antisocial behaviour. The prime social context—the family environment—is particularly relevant in this respect. Not surprisingly, sexual abuse, particularly when it occurs within the family, effects severe additional burden.
Peggy C Giordano, Stephen A Cernkovich, and Allen R Lowery study the increasing prevalence of severe adolescent female sexual offenders and note that contributors to delinquency are similar among boys and girls.
In approaching adolescence and adulthood, the studies exploring girls’ roles in conflictual relationships, both as perpetrators and victims of abuse, seem to become more balanced and complete. There is renewed emphasis in viewing partner violence as a dyadic process. As both the Longitudinal Study in Child Development in Quebec and the Montreal Adolescent Mother Study show, girls with conduct disorder (representing 10% of the population) generally have poor adult outcome. When they become mothers, there are multiple risks for their offspring, owing to partner violence (assortative partner choice); exposure to drugs and tobacco; preterm birth; pre- and postnatal abuse; insensitive, neglectful, coercive, and incompetent parenting; poverty; and lack of social support. These are also cumulative over time. Despite occasional mitigating factors, they eventually lead to moderate to severe developmental (that is, physical, cognitive, and emotional) and behavioural problems; thus, the cycle becomes complete.
Particularly in the first half, this book suffers from repetitiveness and, by and large, an overwhelmingly behavioural perspective. The authors question the psychological roots of assortative mating, early parenting, and increased irritability and refer to “genetic vulnerabilty” more than to psychodynamic considerations. No attention is paid to the connection with, or the distinction between, healthy assertiveness and defensive aggression.
In considering the implications of all this research for policy and prevention, the suggestions range from screening to education to emphasizing the benefit of sports. Surprisingly, there is no mention of the healing power of art. Most important, there is insufficient emphasis on the importance of the family—on the urgent need for reinstating the supreme potential of the traditional family to provide security, support, nurturing, and modelling to optimize the transmission of physical and mental health as well as the ethical and moral values that create civil society.
*Reviewer
Rating Scale/ Échelle d’évaluation du réviseur
Excellent / Excellent
Very Good / Très bon
Good / Bon
Fair / Passable
Not recommended / Pas recommandé
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