Nature and Correlates of Psychological/Emotional Functioning Among a Sample of Detained Youths

• NCJ Number: 108068
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 14 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1987) Pages: 311-334
• Author(s): R Dembo; L LaVoie; J Schmeidler; M Washburn
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 24 pages
• Grant Number(s): 85-CJ-1B-0839-05-402
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study explores the relationships between a sample of detained juveniles' specific problems and their psychological orientations.

Abstract

It was proposed that for youths who are in trouble with the law, specific behavioral difficulties (e.g. substance abuse) would be associated with the youths' psychological orientation to a deviant lifestyle. Analysis of a sample of 145 status offender and juvenile delinquent cases revealed a significant positive association among 'antisocial orientation and physical abuse, illicit drug use, repeated placements in secure detention, and self-derogation. These relationships held when controlling for the effects of gender, age, and ethnicity. These results support the view that specific behavior problems are related to a valuation of a deviant lifestyle. The implications of these results for service providers are discussed. (Publisher abstract)