A comparative analysis of the effects of alienation on public and private school females

The levels of alienation of American female school students (N = 431; 256 public, 175 private) were assessed to determine the extent of the influence of the school environment on the student's level of alienation and the dimensions of isolation, normlessness, and powerlessness. It was hypothesized that substantially different school settings would have no significant effects because student alienation is influenced by a series of complex environmental factors. The Dean Alienation Scale (1961) was used to assess levels of alienation. There were no significant differences in terms of total alienation and powerlessness. Private school students, however, were more isolated (p less than .001) and public school students had higher levels of normlessness (p less than .05).     

A Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Alienation on Public and Private School Females

The levels of alienation of American female school students (N = 431; 256 public, 175 private) were assessed to determine the extent of the influence of the school environment on the student's level of alienation and the dimensions of isolation, normlessness, and powerlessness. It was hypothesized that substantially different school settings would have no significant effects because student alienation is influenced by a series of complex environmental factors. The Dean Alienation Scale (1961) was used to assess levels of alienation. There were no significant differences in terms of total alienation and powerlessness. Private school students, however, were more isolated (p < .001) and public school students had higher levels of normlessness (p < .05).     

The effects of teaching experience on levels of alienation

This study was designed to measure the levels of alienation among American student and full-time teachers, based on the length of their experience with the public school organization. One hundred seventy eight subjects, including 113 full-time teachers and 65 student teachers, were administered the Dean Alienation Scale. Analysis of the data indicated that student teachers had significantly higher levels of alienation, isolation, normlessness, and powerlessness, than did full-time teachers. The less experience the teacher had, the higher were his or her levels of total alienation and powerlessness.     

The Personality Inventory for Youth: validity and comparability of English and Spanish versions for regular education and juvenile justice samples

In this study we examined the comparability of the Personality Inventory for Youth (PIY; Lachar & Gruber, 1993, 1995)--Spanish version to its English counterpart among bilingual Mexican American male and female high school students (n = 120), and among incarcerated bilingual Mexican American male adolescents (n = 52). Results indicated that language (English vs. Spanish) was not associated with a significant effect on the PIY scales or subscales for male adolescents in the juvenile justice facility, but was associated with a marginal effect for regular education adolescents; more specifically, regular education students completing the PIY in Spanish reported somewhat lower levels of symptoms than those completing the English version. Also, incarcerated males obtained significantly higher scores than regular education males on all 9 clinical and 19 out of 24 clinical subscales. Overall, the results of this study suggest that both language versions of the PIY may be applied usefully in the study and treatment of a variety of problems relevant to juvenile populations. Additional findings are discussed.     

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.     

Predicting alienation in a sample of Nigerian Igbo subjects

Seeman in 1959 suggested that alienation is a multidimensional concept. Using two aspects of Seeman's concept of alienation, powerlessness and social alienation, and two concepts derived from Lachar's 1978 Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Cookbook, emotional and self-alienation, the present work was undertaken to ascertain which concept will more likely predict feelings of alienation. A stepwise multiple regression showed that among 160 Nigerian (Igbo) subjects the feeling of powerlessness predicted alienation more than did the other concept.     

Theoretical structure of adolescent alienation: a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis

This study examined the construct validity of adolescent alienation using second-order confirmatory factor analysis of the five dimensions conceptualized by Seeman (1959). Analysis was based on data from 275 high school students aged 14 to 18. The hypothesized multidimensionality of the construct was confirmed for both boys and girls using a second-order factor labeled alienation. Central dimensions of alienation as a latent construct were self-estrangement and powerlessness. Social isolation, meaninglessness, and especially normlessness were poorly explained by the second-order factor, suggesting that these dimensions entail enough specificity to be considered separately. A different theoretical model relating these dimensions is suggested and discussed.     

家庭功能对青少年疏离感的影响: 有调节的中介效应

采用问卷法调查了608名初一至高二城市青少年, 通过结构方程模型探讨了青少年疏离感与家庭社会经济地位、家庭功能和同伴接纳的关系。结果发现: (1) 青少年疏离感年龄段差异显著, 高中生的疏离感显著高于初中生; (2) 青少年疏离感的三个维度之间存在显著差异。其中环境疏离感最高, 其次是社会疏离感, 人际疏离感最低; (3) 家庭功能在家庭社会经济地位与青少年疏离感之间起完全中介作用, 这一中介作用的实现受到同伴接纳的调节, 即家庭功能对青少年疏离感的影响是有调节的中介效应。     

Moral judgment and conduct disorder intensity in adolescents involved in delinquency: matching controls by school grade

Most studies that have found associations between delinquency and moral judgment generally compare incarcerated juveniles with adolescents in normal schooling. However, this comparison is subject to two criticisms. First, a large number of adolescents in school who are not charged with any crime in the legal system are still involved in unlawful behaviour. Second, adolescents involved with delinquency often have difficulties at school. The aim of the present study was to measure this association by matching a sample of adolescents involved with delinquency (n=18, M age=15.8, SD=1.1) to adolescents not involved in delinquency (n=42, M age=15.8, SD=0.8) according to their school grade and Conduct Disorder Intensity as measured by a self-report index using DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Participants who met four or more criteria were assigned to the High Conduct Disorder group (n=28), and the rest were assigned to the Low Conduct Disorder group (n=32). Their level of moral judgment was evaluated with the French version of the Sociomoral Reflection Measure-Short Form by Gibbs, Basinger, and Fuller, inspired by Kohlberg's model of moral development. Findings demonstrate that in both samples, adolescents in the High Conduct Disorder group presented moral judgment that was significantly less mature than that of adolescents in the Low Conduct Disorder group. However, the majority of participants in the Low Conduct Disorder group also scored low on the Sociomoral Reflection Measure-Short Form, suggesting more immature moral judgment. The bias introduced by the mode of recruitment in most comparisons of adolescents involved with delinquency to adolescents with no delinquency problems is discussed, and an argument is made for the importance of analysing moral judgment development within a framework of general cognitive development.     

The impact of parental attachment and feelings of isolation on adolescent fear of crime at school

While scores of researchers have examined the antecedents of fear of criminal victimization among adults, research examining the correlates of such fear among adolescents, particularly in the school setting, is limited. Using data from 2136 public school students from a rural Southern state, we examine the association between fear of criminal victimization and race, gender, age, attachment to parents, feelings of isolation, and victimization. We determine that adolescents who have been victimized by crime are far more fearful than their counterparts who have not. Additionally, we determine that youth who have lower levels of attachment to parents and higher levels of isolation/alienation are also more fearful of criminal victimization than their counterparts. Interestingly, the impact of isolation on fear of criminal victimization is stronger for whites than nonwhites while the impact of parental attachment is stronger for males than females. Implications for policy and future research are also discussed.     

Dimensional assessment of personality pathology in female and male juvenile delinquents

A developmental perspective implies similar personality pathology dimensions for adolescents and adults. The present study examined the applicability of a dimensional approach in incarcerated delinquent female and male juveniles using the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Basic Questionnaire (DAPP-BQ). A sample of detained adolescents (n = 146) was compared to adolescent students (n = 98) and a healthy control group of adults (n = 82). Additionally, psychopathology was assessed in the incarcerated juveniles using the Youth Self Report (YSR). Analyses of variance revealed higher scores on personality disorder traits for juveniles compared to adult controls; the highest scores were observed in criminal juveniles. Hypothesized relationships could be confirmed within the criminal sample between the DAPP factor Emotional Dysregulation and the YSR Internalization syndrome scale, and between the DAPP factor Dissocial Behavior and the YSR Externalization syndrome scale. Moreover, gender differences in the criminal sample are discussed. Results indicate that the DAPP-BQ can assess personality disorder traits in delinquent and nondetained juveniles with sufficient group and criterion validity.     

Relational factors of vulnerability and protection for adolescent pregnancy: a cross-sectional comparative study of Portuguese pregnant and nonpregnant adolescents of low socioeconomic status

This study explores multiple relational contexts that promote vulnerability and protection against early pregnancy in a potential risk group of Portuguese adolescents. A comparative analysis was made between two groups of female adolescents of low socioeconomic status: pregnant adolescents (n=57) and adolescents without a history of pregnancy (n=81). Results suggest that several variables belonging to different contexts-family and school and peer relations--are important in the characterization of the two groups. Lower levels of mother's overprotection and father's emotional support, presence of early pregnancy in adolescent's mother, lower level of emotional proximity to peer relations, and higher number of school failures are significantly associated with adolescent pregnancy.     

Alienation: its impact on adolescents from stable environments

This research examined the levels of alienation among adolescents from traditional and nontraditional backgrounds to determine whether family variables (religious affiliation or religious commitment) and economic factors were related to levels of alienation. Students (N = 1,064) from Grades 10, 11, and 12 at a large racially balanced urban high school and from Grades 7, 8, and 9 at one feeder junior high school in the Midwest were surveyed with the Dean Alienation Scale. The findings indicated that adolescents from traditional two-parent families with a strong religious commitment were more alienated than their peers. In addition, alienation was directly related to the economic status of the adolescent's parents and to the grade level of the adolescent.     

Beliefs in Conspiracies

This study used canonical correlation to examine the relationship of 11 individual difference variables to two measures of beliefs in conspiracies. Undergraduates were administered a questionnaire that included these two measures (beliefs in specific conspiracies and attitudes toward the existence of conspiracies) and scales assessing the 11 variables. High levels of anomie, authoritarianism, and powerlessness, along with a low level of self-esteem, were related to beliefs in specific conspiracies, whereas high levels of external locus of control and hostility, along with a low level of trust, were related to attitudes toward the existence of conspiracies in general. These findings support the idea that beliefs in conspiracies are related to feelings of alienation, powerlessness, hostility, and being disadvantaged. There was no support for the idea that people believe in conspiracies because they provide simplified explanations of complex events.     

Stress and coping in Japanese children and adolescents

Japanese children and adolescents (n=580) provided self-reports of stressor intensity, coping efforts, and adjustment. A new measure of Japanese adolescent coping was created, and psychometric analyses confirmed a reliable four-factor structure. Mean group difference analyses showed that girls reported higher levels of self-image and peer relations stress, and reported using isolation and problem-solving coping more and externalising coping less than males. Younger adolescents (5th/8th grades) reported higher stress in the domains of school, peer relations, and family relations, whereas older adolescents (10th grade) reported higher self-image problems. Statistical moderation was used to examine how youth negotiated the stress process. Females were found to be more responsive to appearance, family, and peer difficulties. Affiliation coping by females operated as a buffer between appearance anxiety and dissatisfaction with appearance. Externalizing coping was not associated with peer relations satisfaction for males, but it was negatively associated for females.     

Aggressive behavior,related conduct problems,and variation in genes affecting dopamine turnover

A number of dopamine‐related genes have been implicated in the etiology of violent behavior and conduct problems. Of these genes, the ones that code for the enzymes that influence the turnover of dopamine (DA) have received the most attention. In this study, we investigated 12 genetic polymorphisms in four genes involved with DA functioning (COMT, MAOA and MAOB, and DβH) in 179 incarcerated male Russian adolescents and two groups of matched controls: boys without criminal records referred to by their teachers as (a) “troubled‐behavior‐free” boys, n=182; and (b) “troubled‐behavior” boys, n=60. The participants were classified as (1) being incarcerated or not, (2) having the DSM‐IV diagnosis of conduct disorder (CD) or not, and (3) having committed violent or nonviolent crimes (for the incarcerated individuals only). The findings indicate that, although no single genetic variant in any of the four genes differentiated individuals in the investigated groups, various linear combinations (i.e., haplotypes) and nonlinear combinations (i.e., interactions between variants within and across genes) of genetic variants resulted in informative and robust classifications for two of the three groupings. These combinations of genetic variants differentiated individuals in incarceration vs. nonincarcerated and CD vs. no‐CD groups; no informative combinations were established consistently for the grouping by crime within the incarcerated individuals. This study underscores the importance of considering multiple rather than single markers within candidate genes and their additive and interactive combinations, both with themselves and with nongenetic indicators, while attempting to understand the genetic background of such complex behaviors as serious conduct problems. Aggr. Behav. 36:158–176, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Stage factors relating alienation and self-role diffusion

A study, controlling for age, sex, and vocational commitment of 290 adolescents (ages 17–19 and 20–22), was conducted to determine the relationship between self- and social alienation attitudes and the identity-role crisis of the adolescent stage.Specific subscale differences due to age and sex for social alienation were found. Younger adolescents expressed greater self-alienation than older males, who were significantly more self-satisfied than both younger and older females and younger males. The hypothesis suggesting that self-alienation reflects conflict and dissatisfaction emerging from identity-role discrepancies during the adolescent stage of psychosocial development, and would decrease with vocational commitment was supported for males but not females.     

MMPI Characteristics of Drug Abusers With and Without Histories of Suicide Attempts

Compared to drug addicts without histories of suicidal attempt (n = 50), drug addicts who have attempted suicide (n = 50) were characterized by higher levels of maladjustment—particularly in the areas of depression, feelings of alienation, and use of projection and externalization—and were more emotionally withdrawn. Certain Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) codetypes appeared in the attempt group that were not present in the no history group. Drug addicts with suicidal ideation but no history of attempt (n = 13) were not significantly different from the other two groups, and their inclusion as a comparison group masked the real differences between the other two groups. The MMPI results suggest it may be possible to identify a suicide attempt group in substance abusers but not when contrasted with a suicidal ideation group. Treatment implications are considered.     

Forgotten warriors: an evaluation of the emotional well-being of presently incarcerated Vietnam veterans

The emotional well-being of a group of incarcerated Vietnam veterans within the maximum security section of a state prison was assessed along with comparison groups of veterans and nonveterans. The Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL) (Zuckerman & Lubin, 1965), the Adjective Check List (ACL) (Gough & Heilbrun, 1983), and the Military Life Questionnaire (MLQ) (Panzarella, Mantell, & Bridenbaugh, 1978) were administered. Both the factors of incarceration and Vietnam experience proved significant on a number of MAACL, ACL, and MLQ measures, including depression, anxiety, hostility, and personal adjustment. The MLQ results also indicated that, compared to their nonincarcerated counterparts, the incarcerated veterans were more likely to be black, to have come from a less supportive family background, to have been assigned to an Army infantry combat unit, to have been injured in combat, and to have witnessed or been involved in the killing of enemy soldiers, prisoners, and civilians while in Vietnam. Many incarcerated veterans apparently began as poor prospects in terms of their social, economic, and interpersonal well-being. They went to Vietnam, bore the brunt of these experiences, and emerged as even poorer prospects, all the more at risk and prone to incarceration.     

MMPI characteristics of drug abusers with and without histories of suicide attempts

Compared to drug addicts without histories of suicidal attempt (n = 50), drug addicts who have attempted suicide (n = 50) were characterized by higher levels of maladjustment--particularly in the areas of depression, feelings of alienation, and use of projection and externalization--and were more emotionally withdrawn. Certain Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) codetypes appeared in the attempt group that were not present in the no history group. Drug addicts with suicidal ideation but no history of attempt (n = 13) were not significantly different from the other two groups, and their inclusion as a comparison group masked the real differences between the other two groups. The MMPI results suggest it may be possible to identify a suicide attempt group in substance abusers but not when contrasted with a suicidal ideation group. Treatment implications are considered.