A Systematic Review of Studies Using Network Analysis to Examine the Relationship Between Antisocial Behavior and Self-Regulation in School-Aged Children and Adolescents

The association between antisocial behavior and self-regulation is well established, but their developmental interplay remains insufficiently understood. Network analysis has increasingly been used to explore these relationships. We conducted a systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD420251161642) of studies applying network analysis to examine these connections in youth aged 6 to 18 years. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, five databases were searched. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria ( N > 24,000; 64% longitudinal). Results showed that externalizing networks, including antisocial symptoms, were organized into distinct, interconnected clusters. At the symptom level, anger, temper, and arguing were the most central oppositional symptoms, whereas impulsive symptoms (difficulty waiting, blurting out, interrupting) functioned as bridge nodes linking externalizing clusters. At the process level, impulsivity emerged as a transdiagnostic bridge, whereas inhibitory control and emotion regulation were key central processes. Developmentally, three potential intervention targets emerged: behavioral impulsivity in childhood, inhibitory control and attention dysregulation in early adolescence, and emotion dysregulation and irritability in mid-adolescence. These findings highlight the value of network approaches for understanding developmental pathways linking self-regulation and externalizing behavior and may inform developmentally targeted interventions.