"In other words, the lowest levels of antisocial behaviour are
found in kids whose parents start and stay in the highest income
bracket while their kids grow up," says Dr. Lisa Strohschein,
author of the study and sociologist at the U of A. While the
findings show that the effects of low income at an early age on
antisocial behaviour--conduct such as bullying, being cruel,
breaking things, cheating or telling lies--persist as kids get
older, depression seems to have the opposite effect. The effects
of starting off in a low-income household on child depression
lessen as time goes on, regardless of later income levels. The
research is published in the current issue of the "Journal of
Health and Social Behavior." "These findings might mean that
antisocial behaviour is an example of biological embedding--it
is possible that poverty early in life helps to set into motion
a consistent pattern of antisocial behaviours that are difficult
to change once learned," says Strohschein. This finding supports
at least one de