
Anti-social behaviour rises among girls in Ireland, study finds
ESRI links girls’ increase to mental health difficulties; adverse childhood experiences predict rising behaviour
A new study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has found that anti-social behaviour among girls in Ireland has increased over the past decade, while levels among boys have remained broadly stable. The research, based on data from the Growing Up in Ireland study, shows that the number of 13-year-old girls who reported hitting, punching or kicking someone in the past year rose from 10% to 16% over ten years.