RELATION OF DEVIANT SYMPTOMS AND BEHAVIOUR IN A NORMAL POPULATION TO SUBSEQUENT DELINQUENCY AND MALADJUSTMENT

• NCJ Number: 57446
• Journal: PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1977) Pages: 163-169
• Author(s): T TAYLOR; D C WATT
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

MORE THAN 6,000 ORDINARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WERE STUDIED IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, ENGLAND, TO DETERMINE THE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF SYMPTOMS AND BEHAVIOR CORRELATED WITH SUBSEQUENT DELINQUENCY AT SPECIFIED AGE LEVELS.

Abstract

QUESTIONNAIRES WERE COMPLETED BY PARENTS AND TEACHERS FOR A STRATIFIED SAMPLE COMPRISING ONE-TENTH OF ALL CHILDREN IN LOCAL SCHOOLS. THE PARENTS' QUESTIONNAIRE CONTAINED 95 ITEMS COVERING THE SCALE OF FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY OF SYMPTOMS OR FORMS OF BEHAVIOR COMMONLY REGARDED AS INDICATIVE OF EMOTIONAL DISORDERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE FOR WHICH CHILDREN ARE REFERRED TO CHILD GUIDANCE CLINICS. THE PARENTS' QUESTIONNAIRE ALSO COLLECTED SOCIAL AND FAMILY INFORMATION. THE TEACHERS' QUESTIONNAIRE COVERED SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIOR. AN ITEM AT A PARTICULAR FREQUENCY OR INTENSITY OCCURRING IN LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN AT EACH AGE AND SEX LEVEL WAS DESIGNATED DEVIANT. ('CRYING ONCE A WEEK' OCCURRED IN LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAME AGE AND SEX AND WAS THUS A DEVIANT ITEM FOR THOSE CHILDREN.) THE SEVERITY OF A CHILD'S DISTURBANCE WAS INDICATED BY THE NUMBER OF DEVIANT ITEMS REPORTED. ALTHOUGH INFORMATION WAS COLLECTED FOR BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS, THE RESULTS ARE PRESENTED FOR BOYS ONLY SINCE BOYS TENDED TO APPEAR IN COURT MORE OFTEN FOR SOCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REASONS. RESULTS SHOW THAT THE PROPORTION OF BOYS WHO SUBSEQUENTLY APPEARED IN COURT AND CLINICS IS SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER FOR DEVIANT SUBJECTS THAN FOR THOSE WHO WERE NOT DEVIANT. DEVIANCE IS MORE MARKED FOR CLINIC REFERRALS THAN FOR THOSE APPEARING IN COURT. THE PROSPECT OF A CHILD BEING REFERRED TO EITHER TYPE OF AGENCY INCREASES PROPORTIONATLEY WITH THE NUMBER OF DEVIANT ITEMS REPORTED. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE SIGNIFICANT FOR BOYS 5 THROUGH 10 YEARS OF AGE: (1) AT HOME--RESTLESSNESS, FREQUENT CRYING, STEALING, AND DIFFICULTY IN READING AND (2) AT SCHOOL--ASSERTIVENESS, DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, AND POOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. PARENTS OF BOYS ATTENDING COURT SHOWED CONCERN ABOUT THEIR CHILDRENS' PHYSICAL HEALTH PROBLEMS BUT LESS CONCERN ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS THAN THE PARENTS OF BOYS ATTENDING CLINICS. (KJM)