Predicting short- and long-term desistance from crime with the NEO personality inventory-short form: Domain scores and interactions in high risk delinquent youth

The current study sought to determine whether the main and interactive effects of the five domains of the Five Factor model (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) predicted short- and long-term desistance from crime in a sample of seriously delinquent youth. Participants were 1126 males from the Pathways to Desistance study with complete data on at least one of the study variables. The NEO Personality Inventory-Short Form was administered during Wave 4 of the Pathways study and desistance was measured 6-60 months later. Agreeableness was the only scale to consistently and meaningfully predict short- and long-term desistance. These results suggest that Agreeableness may promote desistance in youth with extensive prior involvement in the juvenile justice system.