The Role of Major Depressive Disorder and its Moderating Effect on the Impact of Exposure to Violence for Predicting Recidivism among Juvenile Offenders: A Survival Analysis Approach

• Author: Thomas Wojciechowski
• DOI: 10.1177/00328855211048154
• Published date: 01 November 2021
• Date: 01 November 2021
• Subject Matter: Articles

The Role of Major

Depressive Disorder and

its Moderating Effect on

the Impact of Exposure

to Violence for

Predicting Recidivism

among Juvenile

Offenders: A Survival

Analysis Approach

Thomas Wojciechowski

Abstract

Past research has indicated that Major Depressive Disorder and exposure to

violence are risk factors for offending. However, researchers have yet to

examine how this disorder may predict recidivism risk among juvenile

offenders and how the disorder moderates the effect of exposure to vio-

lence. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to determine the impact of

Major Depressive Disorder on time to recidivism. Cox proportional hazard

modeling was applied to examine Major Depressive Disorder as a moderator

of exposure to violence. Results indicated that participants with Major

Depressive Disorder demonstrate greater risk for recidivism post-adjudica-

tion. The proposed moderation effect was not supported.

Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA

Corresponding Author:

Thomas Wojciechowski, Michigan State University School of Criminal Justice, 655 Auditorium

Dr., East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.

Email: wojcie42@msu.edu

Article

The Prison Journal

2021, Vol. 101(5) 511–527

© 2021 SAGE Publications

Article reuse guidelines:

sagepub.com/journals-permissions

DOI: 10.1177/00328855211048154

journals.sagepub.com/home/tpj

Keywords

juvenile offenders, survival analysis, major depressive disorder, offending,

exposure to violence

Introduction

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mental disorder described in the

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5

th

Edition

(DSM-5) and is characterized by a (at least) two week span where an individ-

ual experiences depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, fatigue, and

diminished ability to think or concentrate; among other symptoms.

Aff‌liction with MDD can result in a debilitating condition which affects mul-

tiple domains of an individual’s life.While MDD is mainly considered an

internalized disorder, behavioral issues among sufferers are also likely to

present themselves. Offending is one behavioral issue that exists at elevated

prevalence among MDD sufferers and, relatedly, juvenile offenders demon-

strate elevated rates of MDD relative to their peers in the general population

(Holzer et al., 2018; Vaughn et al., 2015). Similarly, previous research has

indicated that exposure to violence exists as a risk factor for both offending

and MDD (Baskin-Sommers & Baskin, 2016; Slavich & Irwin, 2014).

Further, exposure to violence mayalsoexacerbateMDDsymptoms

(Tursich et al., 2014; Young et al., 2014). Considering the high prevalence

of MDD among juvenile offenders (Morshed et al., 2018; Vaughn et al.,

2015), it may be that this increased severity contributes to risk for offending.

All of these things implicate MDD as a possible contributor to recidivism

among juvenile offenders. This study seeks to provide a more complete

understanding of how MDD diagnosis and subsequent exposure to violence

following adjudication may predict risk for recidivism among juvenile

offenders.

Specif‌ic Aims

The present study sought to accomplish several goals. While past research has

identif‌ied the link between MDD and offending (Akse et al., 2007; Greene

et al., 2002), there has yet to be an examination of how MDD may predict

recidivism risk among juvenile offenders. This is an important omission, as

understanding how MDD may lead to decreased odds of full desistance

may indicate a need for continued treatment for MDD among this population

throughout the life-course. This study uses survival analysis to examine the

moderating role of MDD for predicting risk for recidivism during the 84

512 The Prison Journal 101(5)