The long view: Lie-telling trajectories, ages 6 to 19 years

Longitudinal research on the development of deception across the lifespan remains limited, particularly regarding trajectories of lie-telling and their associations with later problems. The current study aimed to address this gap using longitudinal data of 3,017 Quebec francophone children (47.2% girls, 52.8% boys, aged ∼6 years). Growth mixture modeling identified distinct trajectories of parent and teacher reported lie-telling from ages 6 to 19 years, with reports showing links to early aggressive-disruptive behavior. Trajectories of perceived lying by parents and teachers were also associated with antisocial personality disorder and criminal records in early adulthood. Findings suggest that identifying patterns of observed lying may inform theoretical understanding of the developmental evolution and interpersonal significance of deception over time, as well as highlight potential long-term interventions for problematic lying.