People believe antisocial youth are looking for the good things in life without working for them. There is a great deal of anger towards young people who steal and commit other violent and antisocial acts. This anger arises from the public's belief that antisocial youth could be like other youngsters if they wanted to be and if they tried. Although this anger is justifiable considering the violence committed by youth in recent years, our response has to be guided by the knowledge of what is causing this behaviour and how it can be changed. The fact is that these youth are not like other youngsters.
Many antisocial youth have difficult temperaments from birth.
Babies with difficult temperament are poor sleepers, difficult to feed and hard to toilet train. These babies require extra patience and attention. Research has shown that children with difficult temperaments who grow up in families where there have been serious difficulties, develop emotional and behavioral problems. Many antisocial youth suffer from a variety of disabilities. Learning disabilities, including reading disability, are common occurrences.