Early-Warning Signs of Violence: Is a Triad Enough?

While noting that a triad of childhood symptoms—enuresis, firesetting, and cruelty to animals—has been accepted as predictive of violence in adulthood, the authors believe that other symptoms may serve as even more useful predictors. On the basis of a literature search, interviews with many persons who had had contact with troubled youth, and in-depth interviews with eight convicts who had shown behavior problems as children, ther identified four symptoms-fighting, temper tantrums, school problems and truancy, and interpersonal difficullies—as early-warning signs that may indicate serious emotional disturbance which is likely to result in violent behavior.