Lower autonomic arousal as a risk factor for criminal offending and unintentional injuries among female conscripts.
PLoS One
; 19(3): e0297639, 2024.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38536806
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Lower autonomic arousal is a well-known correlate of criminal offending and other risk-taking behaviors in men, but few studies have investigated this association in women.AIM:
To test associations between autonomic arousal and criminal offending as well as unintentional injuries among female conscripts.METHODS:
All women born 1958-1994 in Sweden who participated in voluntary military conscription (n = 12,499) were identified by linking Swedish population-based registers. Predictors were resting heart rate (RHR) and systolic blood pressure (SBP). Covariates were height, weight, and physical energy capacity. Main outcomes were criminal convictions (any, violent, and non-violent) from the National Crime Register. Secondary outcome was unintentional injuries requiring medical treatment or causing death. We used survival analyses to test for associations between predictors and outcomes.RESULTS:
Low RHR, relative to high RHR, was associated with an increased risk of any criminal conviction, non-violent criminal convictions, and unintentional injuries. Low SBP, relative to high SBP, was associated with an increased risk of violent criminal convictions.CONCLUSIONS:
Results support lower autonomic arousal, particularly lower RHR, as a correlate of criminal offending among women that warrants further examination, as the reported findings have potential implications for the prediction of future female crime.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Criminals
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
PLoS One
Journal subject:
CIENCIA
/
MEDICINA
Year:
2024
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Sweden