Final answer:
Caspi and Moffit identified childhood trauma as a universal risk factor for adult antisocial behavior. Research supports the notion that both genetic and environmental factors, particularly early life stressors, contribute to this risk.
Step-by-step explanation:
The work by Caspi and Moffit produced a model of gene-environment interaction that identified childhood trauma as a universal risk factor for adult antisocial behavior. Research such as the studies by Rhee and Waldman, as well as Moffit, Caspi, and their colleagues, provides evidence that both genetic predispositions and environmental factors, specifically traumatic experiences during childhood, contribute to increased risk for antisocial behavior in adulthood.
These studies highlight the complex interplay between our genetic makeup, our environment, and our developmental experiences. This perspective is also aligned with the broader body of research, like that of Brown et al., and Afifi et al., which point to the significant influence of early life stressors and childhood adversity on mental health outcomes and personality disorders.
The social disorganization theory, developed in the early 20th century, further supports the idea that environmental factors such as growing up in impoverished areas can be associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in deviant or criminal behaviors. However, it is the early traumatic experiences, as identified by Caspi and Moffit, that are considered a universal risk factor for antisocial behavior.