Behavioral issues are not commonly accepted types of disorder. People may display negative behavior at any point in their lives or make a judgmental error. However, behavior issues have a consistent pattern throughout a person’s life. Many theories may explain behavior issues. Although, in criminology, three different categories of theories are identified: psychological, sociological, and biological. Consequently, it was identified that anxiety disorders and traumatic life events and biological abnormalities result in behavioral issues.
Some psychopathologies result in the sufferers’ withdrawal from social interaction and isolation. For example, “anxiety disorders, depression, trauma, and conditions that affect communication and/or socialization, such as autism,” fall under this category (Petherick & Sinnamon, 2017, p. 2). Partially, substance abuse could be attributable to such pathologies, as people attempt to avoid or self-medicate their symptoms (Petherick & Sinnamon, 2017). In these cases, and when a person manifests his behavior on objects and animals, psychopathological issues may result in dangerous criminal behavior. These people turn towards aggressive behavior because of the difficulties with social adjustment and have decreased quality of life.
There is also a biological assumption that people are born criminals and behavior that they demonstrated is natural for them. One of such theories where introduced by Cesare Lombroso as behavioral positivism (University of Glasgow, 2016). Currently, the identifiers for biological explanation of criminal behavior are biochemical conditions (such as hormone imbalance), neurophysiological conditions (ex. disabilities associated with brain damage), genetic inheritance or abnormality, and intelligence (University of Glasgow, 2016). Disruptions in these aspects suggest the likelihood of criminal behavior.
Criminology also identifies such psychological portraits as firesetter profiles. The group susceptible to such problematic behavior suffers from various stressful life events, a history of trauma, family dysfunction, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Petherick & Sinnamon, 2017).
This theory attributes arsonist behavior to the aforementioned dysfunctions. In conclusion, behavioral issues are often the result of untreated psychological pathologies, or biological in nature and may further develop into the criminal behavior. Anxiety, depression and communication disorders contribute to antisocial behavior, aggression and increase risk for substance abuse. ADHD and psychological traumas, and family dysfunctions result in arsonist behavior. At the same time criminal behavior could be attributable to biological abnormalities.
Reference
Petherick, W., & Sinnamon, G. (2017). The psychology of criminal and antisocial behavior: Victim and offender perspectives. United Kingdom.
University of Glasgow. (2016). Theories and causes of crime. Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research. United Kingdom.