Antecedent Behaviors of Male Youth Victimization: An Exploratory Study

The antecedent behavior patterns of violently victimized male youths were assessed using a variety of instruments, including the Risk-Taking Survey, Aggression Questionnaire, Weekly Activity Record, and Delinquency Index. Sixty-six percent of the participants reported engaging in risky, delinquent/criminal, and/or aggressive (RDA) behavior prior to victimization. Victims aged 20?24 differed significantly from those aged 15?19 in that they reported more RDA behaviors prior to the event, and more frequent risky, delinquent, and aggressive behaviors in general. They also spent more hours engaged in negative activities than the younger group. The findings are congruent with the lifestyle-routine activities and risky behavior theories of violent victimization.     

Empathy: A factor in antisocial behavior

Empathy has been accepted as a crucial factor in the development of prosocial thought and behavior. This study attempted to clarify the role of empathy in the development of antisocial and aggressive delinquent behavior. The subjects were 331 delinquents and 64 nondelinquent controls ages 12 to 18. The delinquents were found to be significantly delayed or arrested in the development of empathy. The nondelinquent group exhibited a significant age-related increase in empathy during the adolescent period, whereas the delinquent group did not. Of three delinquent subgroups utilized, the neurotics were least empathic, the psychopathics next, and the subculturals the most empathic; the groups differed significantly from each other. Aggressive delinquents were significantly lower in empathy level than nonaggressive delinquents, though differentiation by type of aggression (person or property) was not significant.This research was based on the author's doctoral dissertation. The author wishes to express his appreciation to Dr. Henry R. Angelino, Dr. Charles Wenar, and Dr. John Gibbs of the Ohio State University for their support and guidance.     

Professional Outreach Counseling Can Help the Juvenile Probationer: A Two Year Follow-up Study

Sixty-one subjects in a previously reported experimental evaluation of Project CREST were followed during a 2-year period after treatment and compared on official acts of misconduct. Over the 2 years, the 30 youths who had received the counseling services in addition to probation were charged with significantly fewer acts of misconduct at a lower monthly rate than the 31 youths in the control group who had received probation but no counseling. The upturn in offense rate among the control group was attributed to the removal of probationary control. The study's results, in conjunction with previous evaluation findings, indicated that short-term professional counseling coupled with probation can have more immediate and longer lasting effects than probation alone in reducing juvenile misconduct.     

A new approach to Eysenck's theory of criminality

Studies examining Eysenck's theory of criminality by contrasting delinquent and non-delinquent groups have produced equivocal results. Some studies have shown criminals to score higher, as the theory predicts, on psychoticism, neuroticism and extraversion, whilst other studies have not. The current study examines the theory from a new approach by using cluster analysis to demonstrate the heterogeneity of personality types in delinquent sample (N =100) and in a comparison group (N = 100).Four personality types were found in each group. Two personality types which were present in the delinquent sample were not found in the comparison group. The first type consisted of individuals scoring high on neuroticism and extraversion whilst the second type consisted of individuals scoring high on psychoticism, neuroticism and extraversion. These types appeared to be consistent with Eysenck's theory of criminality.     

Factors in childhood that predict later criminal behavior

A follow-up study was conducted on the aggressive and delinquent behavior of an original sample of 220 pupils of two age groups. The subjects were 7 and 9 years old in 1978 when they were interviewed for the first time. The present paper focuses on predictors of the subjects' aggressive and criminal behavior in adolescence and in young adulthood. Four different groups of variables were chosen as possible predictive factors: 1) parental aggression, punitivity, and attitudes of rejection toward the child, 2) previous acts of aggression by the subjects, 3) the viewing of violence on television during childhood, and 4) aggressive, indifferent, and delinquent behavior in adolescence. Physical aggression in adolescence and the number of arrests and traffic violations in young adulthood were used as dependent variables. The analyses established that for the male subjects, the best predictor of physical aggression in adolescence was previous aggression, whereas for the female subjects the best predictor of physical aggression in adolescence was previous viewing of violence on television. The number of arrests in young adulthood was best predicted for the male subjects on the basis of previous aggression and viewing of violence on television. The best predictors of the number of arrests in young adulthood for the female subjects were, apart from previous aggression and viewing of violence on television, also aggressive and delinquent behavior in adolescence as well as parental aggression, punitivity, and attitudes of rejection. The results emphasize the importance of the atmosphere of socialization in childhood and previous aggressive behavior as significant predictors of physical aggression in adolescence and criminal behavior in young adulthood. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Evaluation of the Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP) Seventh Grade Violence Prevention Curriculum

We evaluated the impact of RIPP-7, a seventh grade violence prevention curriculum designed to strengthen and extend the effects of the sixth grade RIPP-6 curriculum. Classes of seventh graders at two urban middle schools serving predominantly African-American youth where RIPP-6 had been implemented the preceding school year were randomized to intervention (N = 239) and control groups (N = 237). Compared to students in the control group, students who participated in RIPP-7 had fewer disciplinary code violations for violent offenses during the following school year. A limited number of main effects were found on self-report outcome measures and measures of attitudes. Although significant main effects were not found on self-report measures of physical aggression, drug use, or anxiety, analyses of interactions with pretest scores indicated that intervention effects were significantly moderated by pretest scores for several outcome measures. Students most likely to benefit from the intervention were those who reported higher pretest rates of problem behaviors including violent behavior, nonphysical aggression, and delinquent behavior.     

Sex stereotypes and responses to juvenile delinquency

On the basis of our current knowledge of sex stereotypes and their influence on judgments about women and men, two conflicting hypotheses about reactions to delinquent behavior by men and women, or by boys and girls, can be put forward. First, because crime is mainly masculine, responsibility for criminal behavior will be more strongly attributed to a boy's nature than to a girl's, thereby leading to more severe punishment for boys. Second, deviations from a stereotype lead to negative evaluations, and thus should lead to harsher punishment for girls. The first study described, based on a field experiment with 709 adolescent and 403 adult subjects, was conducted to determine whether different sanctions were applied to boys and girls who engaged in identical delinquent behavior. The results show that for boys, more severe punishment was preferred for aggressive behavior, and for girls, more punishment for noncriminal delinquent behavior. In a second study (N=43), it was hypothesized that these differences in sanctioning corresponded with the degree of perceived masculinity of the delinquent behavior. This hypothesis was confirmed. A model shows how sex stereotypes about delinquent behavior lead to sex-related difference in attributions, which in turn lead to differences in punishment.     

To each his own well-being boosting intervention: using preference to guide selection

This study investigates whether using a selection method based on participant preference increased preference, adherence, or efficacy compared to an unmatched group. Undergraduate students (N?=?127) participated in the study over a 4-week period. All participants randomly received, completed, and rated their preference for an initial positive psychology exercise. These data were used to select a second activity: participants in the matched group received a second exercise based on a previously defined matching rule, whereas a comparison group received a second exercise selected randomly from the set of unmatched exercises. Individuals preferred the matched exercise more significantly and although not statistically significant, reported slightly larger boosts in well-being than those who received an unmatched exercise. No significant differences were found between the groups for exercise adherence. Future efforts to construct treatment packages should follow this model of combining individually validated components using empirical data.     

The relation of facial affect recognition and empathy to delinquency in youth offenders

Associations among facial affect recognition, empathy, and self-reported delin-quency were studied in a sample of 29 male youth offenders at a probation placement facility. Youth offenders were asked to recognize facial expressions of emotions from adult faces, child faces, and cartoon faces. Youth offenders also responded to a series of statements on emotional empathy, and provided self-reported acts of delinquency. Findings revealed a moderate positive relationship between ability to recognize the expression, angry, in adult faces, and self-reported acts of delinquent behavior, which included physical violence, theft, and vandalism. Findings revealed a moderate inverse relationship between ability to recognize facial expressions of emotions in child faces and self-reported acts of physical violence. With respect to specific facial expressions of emotions in child faces, a moderate inverse relationship was found between ability to recognize the expression, fearful, and self-reported acts of physical violence. A moderate positive relationship was found between ability to recognized the expression, fearful, in child faces, and ability to empathize with the emotional experiences of others. Strong and moderate links were found between the negative expressions, fearful and sad, and angry and sad, respectively. Additionally, a strong inverse relationship was found between ability to emphathize with the emotional experiences of others and self-reported acts of delinquent behavior. Lastly, a strong positive relationship was found between covert and overt self-reported acts of delinquent behavior. Results from this exploratory investigation suggest a link between facial affect recognition, empathy, and delinquency. Findings have important implications for educators and counselors who work with youth offenders within probation placement facilities.     

Involvement in Meaningful Activities and Self-Reported Aggression and Delinquency Among Inner-City Teenagers

Ninth grade students from an inner-city high school (n = 163) completed self-report measures assessing their participation in meaningful activities, behavioral problems, and locus of control. In multivariate analyses, Gender × Activity Level interaction effects were shown: males with higher levels of meaningful activity had significantly lower scores on aggression and delinquent behavior subscales than males with lower levels of meaningful activity. However, this relationship was not shown for females. Of youth who reported clinically significant levels of aggression and/or delinquency, females reported significantly higher levels of meaningful activities than males. Gender differences in findings and future research directions are discussed.     

The benefits of self-forgiveness on mental health: Evidence from correlational and experimental research

Previous research on self-forgiveness is mixed. Some argue self-forgiveness may have a salutary influence on mental health problems following an offense, whereas others suggest it may provide an excuse to reoffend. In two studies, we provide correlational and experimental evidence for the salutary effects of self-forgiveness following an offense. In Study 1 (N = 100), self-forgiveness was associated with lower levels of disordered eating behavior. In Study 2 (N = 462), participants recalled a drinking-related transgression, and were randomly assigned to a self-forgiveness or neutral priming condition. Results revealed that participants in the self-forgiveness condition reported significantly more self-forgiving beliefs and fewer feelings of remorse and self-condemnation than participants in the neutral priming condition to the degree that participants believed their drinking was the cause of the offense. These findings highlight the salutary effects of self-forgiveness.     

Can We Uncouple Neighborhood Disadvantage and Delinquent Behaviors? An Experimental Test of Family Resilience Guided by the Social Disorganization Theory of Delinquent Behaviors

Although the influence of neighborhood disadvantage on youth development of delinquent behavior is well established, findings from this research have yet to inform the development of family-centered prevention programming to protect youth from these erosive effects. The current paper examines the role of family integration in buffering the impact of social disadvantage in a sample of N = 298 families randomly assigned either to a control condition or to a family-based prevention program previously shown to enhance marriage and parenting. We first confirmed that neighborhood concentrated disadvantage predicted change in delinquent behaviors across the course of the study. Additionally, replicating prior work, parents participating in the Protecting Strong African American Families (ProSAAF) program, relative to those randomly assigned to the control group, significantly improved their use of effective communication strategies with each other and reduced ineffective conflict in front of youth. This resulted in a significant indirect effect of ProSAAF on change in youth delinquent behaviors. Furthermore, using mediated moderation analysis, the study tested the buffering effect of greater family integration, showing that experimentally produced change in interparental communication skills and the resulting reduction in youth exposure to parental conflict buffered the effect of neighborhood disadvantage on change in youth delinquent behaviors, supporting a mediated moderation model in which family environments buffer neighborhood effects.     

Feedback of Information About the Values and Attitudes of Self and Others as Determinants of Long-Term Cognitive and Behavioral Change1

Previous experiments designed to modify persons' values and subsequent attitudes and behavior have used direct self-confrontation procedures to arouse self-dissatisfaction in subjects. The present study compared the effects on values and behavior of the previously used self-confrontation procedure with a modified value-change procedure which did not confront subjects with information about their own values. Both procedures resulted in college students significantly increasing their ranking of the values equality and freedom. These changes were evident 4 weeks after the experimental procedures. Four months after the experimental treatments subjects were solicited to behaviorally support various activities of the Committee to End Racism, and subjects in both experimental groups showed a significantly greater behavioral effect than did control subjects. Thus, significant long-term value and behavioral change may be experimentally induced even when subjects are not provided objective information about their own value-attitude system.     

Social Learning,Self-Control,Gender, and Variety of Violent Delinquency

This study tested the role of social learning and self-control theories in the variety of violent delinquent behaviors engaged in by male and female adolescents (N = 833). Results of Tobit analyses indicated that neither theory was able to account for the gender gap. Low self-control was significantly associated with an increase in the variety of violent delinquency among females. Among male respondents, those who were more susceptible to peer pressure engaged in fewer types of violent delinquency. We conclude that theories must actively recognize the role of gender to better account for the differences in violent delinquent behavior.     

Examining the Effects of Family and School Social Capital on Delinquent Behavior

In this article we evaluate and compare the effects of social capital at home and social capital at school on the frequency of involvement in delinquent behavior in the previous year. Using data from the first wave of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health, 1994–95; N = 8,100), a nationally representative survey of youth in the United States, we find that social sources of capital in the family exert a stronger negative influence on delinquency than school-based sources of capital, net the effects of other common correlates of this type of adolescent behavior.     

Longitudinal Study of Mild Delinquency and In-School Problem Behaviors During Junior High School1

This research investigates repetitive problem behavior (in-school problems and mild delinquency) in Japanese junior high school students from their first to third year (12–15 years old) and examines the risk factors for repetitive problem behavior among parent–child relationships, school, individual, and lifestyle factors. An analysis of the longitudinal data of 470 students (Data Set 1) found that repeated problem behavior in school was affected by low self-control, poor relationships with teachers, and lack of parental monitoring. Repeated mild delinquent behavior was affected by parental violence, poor relationships with mothers, less sleep duration, and not belonging to club activities. Some students exhibited both mild delinquency and in-school problems. Students who experienced problem behavior 10 times or more in their second year had often experienced some problem behavior (1–9 times) in their first year. Analysis of the longitudinal data of 368 students (Data Set 2) showed that in many cases, students who exhibited repeated delinquent behavior in their second year continued to exhibit problem behavior after they became third-year students. Though the number of students with repetitive mild delinquency that was totally remedied in their third year was small, a low incidence of parental violence was seen as an antecedent factor for students who did not commit mild delinquency in their third year in spite of a high frequency of delinquency in their second year.     

Authenticity as a eudaimonic construct: The relationships among authenticity,values, and valence

The construct of authenticity is thought of as an expression of individuality and eudaimonic well-being. Yet, previous research has related state authenticity more to positive affect and pleasant behavior. We examine the extent to which feeling authentic is a reflection of personally held standards of worth (values) and authenticity’s relationship with affective states. We also examine whether feelings of authenticity are facilitated by dispositional authenticity. Study 1 had participants debate benevolent behavior (N = 199). In study two (N = 124) and three (N = 146), participants described memories where they acted in concordance or against their values, in both pleasant and unpleasant contexts. We found a relationship between acting in accordance with one’s values and experiencing authenticity, thus demonstrating that authenticity is a form of eudaimonic well-being, which is closely related to, but distinct from, affective states. We found less consistent associations between dispositional authenticity and momentary authentic feelings.     

Female adolescent friendship and delinquent behavior

Young female offenders (n = 29) and female high school students (n = 47) were compared in terms of delinquent behavior and relationships with their best female friend and peer group. Young offenders exhibited significantly more delinquent behavior than did high school students in the past year. Delinquents and nondelinquents did not significantly differ in amount of companionship, conflict, help, security, and closeness with their best female friend, and amount of trust, alienation, and perceived intimacy in their peer group. Less communication and more perceived peer pressure in the peer group distinguished delinquent females from nondelinquent females. Perceived peer pressure significantly predicted delinquent behavior in female adolescents. In short, friendships of delinquent and nondelinquent female adolescents are essentially similar despite higher levels of peer pressure among delinquents.     

Reflective verbalization improves solutions—the effects of question‐based reflection in design problem solving

In this experimental study (N=60), the impact of question‐based reflective verbalization on the quality of a design solution was investigated. Participants first designed an everyday object (garden grill) using various design strategies and then either answered questions of a naive partner, where they had to verbally describe, explain, justify and evaluate their solution (experimental group), or were given a filler task (control group). After the intervention, participants continued their design. The improvement in the design quality was significantly larger for the experimental group than for the control group. Significantly more participants of the experimental group developed new principles and added new explanations of functions to their design, whereas in the control group only corrections were made. We suggest that the dialogue specific style of reflective verbalization in the experimental group is linked to a specific way of thinking which is important for solving complex problems. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.