NCJ Number
56627
Journal
Psychological Reports Volume: 44 Issue: 1 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1979) Pages: 215-221
Date Published
1979
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A SERIES OF ATTITUDE QUESTIONNAIRES ADMINISTERED TO 60 MEXICAN AMERICAN MALES AGED 12 TO 16 FINDS NONDELINQUENTS HAVE HIGHER SELF-CONCEPT SCORES, BETTER SCHOOL ATTITUDES, AND HIGHER LEVELS OF ASPIRATION THAN DELINQUENTS.
Abstract
THE 30 DELINQUENTS WERE IN THE HARRIS COUNTY, TEX., JUVENILE PROBATION WARD, WHILE THE 30 NONDELINQUENTS (MATCHED FOR AGE AND SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND) WERE FROM LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE PIERS-HARRIS SELF-CONCEPT SCALE, THE FAMILY ENVIRONMENT SCALE, AND THE SCHOOL ATTITUDE SCALE WERE USED TOGETHER WITH A SERIES OF FOUR OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS: (1) HOW FAR IN SCHOOL WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? (2) HOW FAR IN SCHOOL DO YOU THINK YOU WILL GO? (3) WHAT KIND OF WORK WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO IN 20 YEARS (4) WHAT KIND OF WORK DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE DOING IN 20 YEARS? NONDELINQUENTS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER SELF-CONCEPT SCORES (P LESS THAN 0.01) AND SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER SCORES ON THE SCHOOL ATTITUDE SCALE (P LESS THAN 0.05 EXCEPT FOR 'CAPACITY TO LEARN' AND 'LEGITIMACY OF SCHOOL' WHICH WERE LESS THAN 0.01). THE NONDELINQUENT GROUP ALSO HAD HIGHER EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS (P LESS THAN 0.01) AND HIGHER EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS (P LESS THAN 0.001). SIGNIFICANTLY MORE NONDELINQUENTS HAD PROFESSIONAL OCCUPATION-EXPECTATIONS. MORE DELINQUENT CHILDREN LIVED IN ONE-PARENT HOMES (P LESS THAN 0.01). THERE WAS VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN NUMBER OF SIBLINGS. ONE FINDING DEMONSTRATES THE PERVASIVE NATURE OF THE DIFFERENCES IN SELF-CONCEPT BETWEEN DELINQUENT AND NONDELINQUENT MEXICAN AMERICANS. HOWEVER, ALL THE BOYS HAD HIGH REGARD FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND CONSIDERED RELIGIOUS AND MORAL PRINCIPLES IMPORTANT. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN FAMILY ATTITUDES BETWEEN MEXICAN AMERICANS AND ANGLO AMERICANS ARE DISCUSSED. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)