Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Delinquent peer groups'

This thesis investigates the nature and the development of a delinquent social identity. Three issues are addressed. These concern the negative identity that results from social comparison processes in school, the role of the peer group in delinquency and the variable nature of the delinquent social identity. One argument of the thesis, which is based on the concepts of self-categorization theory, is that the delinquent social identity develops out of a negative identity because of perceived differences between groups of adolescents in the school in terms of their commitment to academic studies and their attitude towards authority. The first study in this thesis demonstrates that compared to non delinquents, delinquents are more likely to perceive their social status in the school to be low as well as stable, and are more concerned about their reputation among their peers. Also, delinquents are more likely to rationalize against guilt through the techniques of neutralization, are more likely to value unconventional norms and tend to have negative experiences, both at home and in school. Based on social identity theory, this thesis argues that delinquency arises out of a search for an alternative positive identity through " social creativity ", which is only possible through the group. Membership in a delinquent group or a delinquent social identity offers the delinquent a sense of " positive distinctiveness " which is derived from the rejection, redefinition and reversal of conventional norms. It is only through a social identity where members perceive each other as interchangeable and share an interdependency, that such a reversal receives social validation, and that members achieve a sense of self-consistency which becomes part of their reputation. The second study in this thesis confirms that delinquents show a relative preference for a group strategy of derogation of the outgroup for coping with negative social comparison, rather than one which involves an individual strategy of competition, and that this group strategy is more likely to enhance their self-esteem. Delinquents' tendency to reverse conventional norms is demonstrated in the third study of the thesis, which also revealed that this reversal is evident only when delinquents are compared to non delinquents, and that this rejection is not total. These findings not only provide support for Cohen's subcultural theory of delinquency but also that of Sykes and Matza who argue that delinquents drift in and out of such behaviours. In fact, this thesis suggests that this drift can be explained in terms of a shift in the salience of identity. Because the delinquent identity is a social identity, it is variable and context-dependent. Differences in attitudes towards authority, rationalizations against guilt and self-derogation can be explained by differences in the salience of the delinquent social identity. The last three studies of the thesis provide evidence of these variations with both self-report and incarcerated delinquents.

During adolescence, as children begin to transition into adults, many physical and mental changes occur which bring with them a desire for experimentation. Thus, many adolescents begin to partake in substance use, in alignment with the views and beliefs of their peers and neighborhoods. In the United States, the most popular substances for adolescent use are alcohol and marijuana, which teenagers continue to indulge in at alarming numbers, despite either significant or relative decreases over the years, and has been brought on by exposure to certain risk factors. The goal of this study was to determine which factors create the greatest likelihood for adolescent alcohol and marijuana use, and if certain influential relationships, such as gang membership and other peer relationships, mediate the effects of disadvantaged neighborhoods. Additionally, an attempt was made to determine if the immediate surroundings and relationships of adolescents work in a complementary fashion to influence one another. In the study, it was found that a socially disorganized neighborhood contributes, along with parental relations, to the selections an adolescent makes in choosing peers. It was also found that poor peer selection can lead to gang membership which would consequently increase the chances of alcohol and marijuana use. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth of 1997 focusing on gangs and neighborhoods as influences to adolescent alcohol and marijuana use, it was discovered that various gang categories and having peers who use alcohol or marijuana correlated with increased adolescent alcohol and marijuana use. The explanation for these categories having such a significant impact on increased levels of adolescent substance use can be attributed to the impressionability and malleability of this transitioning age group, in an attempt to fit in with the peers they have chosen to associate with and a desire to indulge in new experiences.

Människor verkar tro att de är vanliga och som alla andra, men är det verkligen så eller tillskriver vi andra våra egna beteenden? Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om det fanns ett samband i hur ungdomar projicerar sitt normbrytande beteende och hur de uppfattar sina kamrater. Människor tenderar att tro att andra reagerar på samma sätt som de själva gör, och därmed se sitt eget beteende som det typiska. För att undersöka projektionen användes en enkätstudie som ungdomar på en högstadieskola fick besvara. I enkäten skulle eleverna uppskatta sitt eget beteende och sina kompisars beteenden. Resultaten visar att ungdomar tenderade att projicera sitt eget normbrytande beteende på sina kompisar men att de inte var speciellt lika varandra i detta beteende.

People tend to see their own behaviour as relatively common, is it really like that or do we prescribe others our own behaviours? This study examined correlations between adolescents´ perception and their peers´ reports of delinquent behaviour. People tend to imagine that everyone responds the way they do and they tend to see their own behaviour as typical. To examine the projection a survey was handed out to students in a junior high school. The survey contained questions about the students’ own behaviour and their friends’ behaviour. Findings revealed that adolescents´ tended to project their own delinquent behaviours on their peers although they were not particularly alike.

L'approche criminologique de la délinquance du mineur permet de mettre en lumière les facteurs jouant un rôle dans le processus délinquantiel. Si certaines analyses s'attachent à démontrer l'influence déterminante de l'environnement familial sur la délinquance du mineur, ces propos méritent d'être nuancés. La famille est le modèle de socialisation primaire de l'enfant. Un contexte familial, régi des comportements déviants ou une autorité défaillante, entraînerait dès lors des conséquences criminogènes pour l'enfant. Pour autant, celui-ci ne reproduit pas automatiquement le schéma familial et bénéficie d'une intégration sociale.Dès lors, les analyses multifactorielles de la délinquance mettent en évidence l'importance des autres facteurs environnementaux dans le passage à l'acte du mineur, celui-ci évoluant par la rencontre d'agents extérieurs à la famille.L'influence des facteurs tels que l'école et les groupes de pairs peut se manifester de telle sorte que cette hypothèse remettrait en cause la théorie selon laquelle la famille est un facteur déterminant. Si ces analyses se justifient, elles demeurent incomplètes, soulevant alors la question du lien entre la délinquance juvénile et le fonctionnement de la société occidentale
A criminalogy approach makes it possible to highlight decisive factors of the delinquency process (ou the criminal process). Some analysts aims to prove the importance of familial context on juvenile delinquency although these explanations seems insufficient. Family is the primary socialisation instance and familial background with deviant behaviors and defaulting authority could thus have an impact on juvenile delinquency. One can observe however that children sometimes do not reproduce the family scheme and are socially integrated. Consequently, a multi-factors analysis of delinquency points up the importance of other contextual factors, among them the external agents to the family encounters, in explaining the first acts of delinquency. Influence of factors as education and peer group imply the questioning of the familial background considered as a key factor of juvenile delinquency. If verified, these analysis remain nonetheless an incomplete explanation, while raising the question of the causal relationship between juvenile delinquency and the workings of Western society

Projeto de Graduação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de licenciada em Criminologia
O presente estudo tem como principal objetivo apresentar uma proposta de um projeto de investigação que pretende compreender a relação entre a exposição a comportamentos desviantes, por parte dos pais/cuidadores e grupo de pares, e a delinquência juvenil. Ambiciona-se igualmente analisar e caracterizar os diferentes tipos de comportamentos desviantes experienciados no seio familiar e no grupo de pares, bem como compreender quais os tipos de comportamentos desviantes que os jovens mais adotam. O projeto divide-se em duas partes, a primeira de cariz teórico e a segunda empírica, onde se encontra uma proposta de investigação direcionada a jovens que se encontrem sinalizados na CPCJ por "Exposição a modelos de comportamento desviante" e que tenham idades compreendidas entre os 12 e os 16 anos. Para a recolha de dados recorrer-se-á a uma entrevista semiestruturada. É expectável que os resultados obtidos possibilitem perceber como a exposição a comportamentos desviantes poderá levar os jovens a enveredar pelo caminho da delinquência, contudo é necessário ter em conta as características individuais de cada um.
This study has as its main objective to propose a research project that aims to understand the relationship between the exposure to deviant behavior by parents/guardians and peer groups, and juvenile delinquency. It also aims to analyse and characterise the different types of deviant behavior experienced in family life and peer groups, as well as understand which types of deviant behavior the youth adopts the most. The project is divided in two parts, the first theoretical and the second empirical, where there's a proposal for research directed at young people that are flagged in the CPCJ for "exposure to models of deviant behavior" and are between 12 and 16 years old. Data gathering will be done via a semi-structured interview. It's expected that the results obtained allow us to conclude that the exposure to deviant behavior can lead young people to go down the same delinquency path, however, it's necessary to keep in mind the individual characteristics of each person.

This thesis investigates the nature and the development of a delinquent social identity. Three issues are addressed. These concern the negative identity that results from social comparison processes in school, the role of the peer group in delinquency and the variable nature of the delinquent social identity. ¶ ...

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Psicologia
Vários estudos comprovam a influência dos pares desviantes no comportamento dos jovens, contudo não estabelecem uma relação específica entre o comportamento delinquente do grupo e o comportamento delinquente dos jovens nele integrados. Esta investigação procurou averiguar se os comportamentos do grupo de pares têm implicações na frequência, gravidade e qualidade do comportamento delinquente dos jovens. Para tal, aplicou-se o questionário selecionou-se uma amostra aleatória estratificada de 2006 jovens, de 29 escolas da cidade de Braga, com idades compreendidas entre os 11 e os 23 anos (M = 15; DP = 2.09), à qual foi aplicado o ISRD-3. Os resultados mostram que o número de comportamentos delinquentes dos jovens cujos grupos de pares são normativos e não normativos difere significativamente (U = 343.50, p < .001), sendo também significativa a diferença entre a frequência do comportamento delinquente grave dos jovens conforme o seu grupos de pares é não normativo ou normativo (U = 471.50, p < .001). Finalmente, constatou-se que o tipo de comportamentos do grupo de pares prediz 15.5% do tipo de comportamento dos jovens.
Several studies document the influence of deviant peers on young people’s behaviour. However they do not establish a specific relationship between group delinquent behaviour and individual's delinquent behaviour. This study sought to relate the frequency, severity and type of young people's delinquent behaviour and their peer’s behaviour. The International Self- Report Delinquency-3 Questionnaire (ISRD-3) was administrated to a stratified random sample of 2006 young people, in 29 schools in the city of Braga, aged between 11 and 23 years (M = 15; DP = 2.09). Results reveal that young people belonging to non-normative groups show significantly higher frequencies of delinquent behaviour (U = 343.50, p <. 001) and of serious delinquent behaviour (U = 471.50, p <. 001) than their peers who belong to normative groups. The type of delinquent group behaviour predicts 15.5% of the type young people’s delinquent behaviour.

碩士
中國文化大學
青少年兒童福利碩士學位學程
103
This correlation study mainly explored the issues of parent-youth interaction、peer group pressure and delinquent behaviors. Taking the grade 7 to 12 of youth as the research subject, this correlation study adopted the self-made questionnaire to conduct a general survey on 560 participants, and 489 were verified and approved to fill the questionnaire, accounting for 87％. The research results and findings are listed as follows： 1. According to the general information of youth, there was significant difference among gender, grade, current occupation status of parents, marital status of parents, accommodation status with family, academic results, the number of sibling and parent-youth interaction. There was significant difference among gender, current occupation status of parents, academic results and peer group pressure. There was significant difference among gender, grade, current occupation status of parents, marital status of parents, economic status of family, accommodation status with family, academic results and youth’s delinquent behaviors. 2. Parent-youth interaction and peer group pressure showed positive correlation. There was correlation between parent-youth interaction and youth delinquent behaviors. An alienation of parent-youth interaction and youth delinquent behaviors showed positive correlation. An intimacy, share, restrictive of parent-youth interaction and youth delinquent behaviors showed negative correlation. There was correlation between the peer group pressure and youth delinquent behaviors. The belonging, reinforcement function, understood and agreed, resistance pressure and an undisciplined of youth delinquent behaviors showed positive correlation. According to the research results, this study suggests the following recommendations： 1. Regarding to different family composition to take a kind of parent education curriculum. 2. Regarding to different stage of development in an infant child, children and youth to take a lecture course of parent education. 3. To encourage the youth to participate in activities for public welfare or leisure.

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Psicologia
A influência dos amigos no comportamento dos jovens está amplamente documentada na literatura da especialidade. Contudo, a evidência empírica sobre a relação entre o tempo passado em atividades grupais, as caraterísticas do grupo e o comportamento individual dos jovens é escassa. Com este objetivo, este estudo pretendeu: a) caraterizar os grupos de pares; b) apurar se o comportamento delinquente dos jovens está relacionado com o comportamento delinquente do grupo; c) averiguar se existem diferenças entre 2006 e 2016 na ocupação dos tempos livres e na percentagem de amigos com comportamento violento. Para este efeito, utilizou-se dados das amostras portuguesas do International Self Report Delinquency-2 (n=2616) e International Self Report Delinquency-3 (n=2006). Verificou-se que: a) a maioria dos jovens portugueses (89.2%) tem um grupo de pares, tendencialmente na sua faixa etária (χ2 = 1331.89, p < .001), que privilegia atividades não estruturadas. Verificou-se que as atividades não estruturadas têm um efeito moderador na relação entre comportamento delinquente do grupo de pares e dos jovens, B = 0.71, p < .001; B = 0.70, p < .01. Adicionalmente, em 2016, os jovens passam mais tempo com os amigos do que em 2006, registando-se um decréscimo do número de amigos com comportamento violento.
The influence of friends in the behaviour of young people is widely documented in the specialty literature. However, the empirical evidence about the relationship between time spent in group activities, the group characteristics and the individual behaviour of young people is scarce. With that in mind this study has the intention of: a) characterize group peers; b) determine if delinquent behaviour in young people is related to group delinquent behaviour; and c) ascertain the existing differences between 2006 and 2016 in leisure and percentage of friends with violent behaviour. To that effect, data from the International Self Report Delinquency-2 (n= 2616) and International Self Report Delinquency-3 (n= 2006) was used. It was verified that: a) the majority of young Portuguese people (89.2%) has a group of peers, tendentiously in the same age group (χ2 = 1331.89, p < .001), which favours nonstructured activities. It was verified that non-structured activities have a moderating effect in the relation between delinquent behaviour in the peers group and young people, B = 0.71, p < .001; B = 0.70, p < .01. Additionally, in 2016, young people spend more time with their friends than in 2006, registering a decrease in the number of friends with violent behaviour.

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada ao ISPA - Instituto Universitário
O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar a qualidade da relação de vinculação á mãe, ao pai e ao grupo de pares em adolescentes e compreender se essa vinculação influência a ocorrência de comportamentos delinquentes. Recorreu-se a escolas públicas na área de Lisboa para a aplicação do estudo. A amostra é constituída por 218 participantes, 108 do sexo masculino e 110 participantes do sexo feminino, que se encontram a frequentar o ensino básico e secundário, do 8ºano até ao 10ºano, com idades compreendidas entre os 12 anos e os 18 anos de idade. A qualidade de relação de vinculação será medida através do Inventário de Vinculação para Pais e Pares - IPPA (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987b), a partir das dimensões Confiança, Comunicação e Alienação. Os comportamentos delinquentes serão medidos através da Escala de Variedade de Comportamentos de Desvio Juvenil (Sanches, Pereira, Gomes & Roncar, 2015). Os resultados obtidos permitem constatar que a vinculação á mãe e as suas dimensões estão correlacionadas significativamente com a delinquência. O adolescente com mais a confiança e comunicação e menor alienação á mãe tem menos comportamentos delinquentes. No grupo de pares, apenas a dimensão confiança apresentou resultados significativos com a delinquência. A vinculação ao pai não apresentou resultados significativos para esta amostra.
ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to analyze the quality of attachment to mother, father and the peer in adolescents and understand if these attachments influence the occurrence of delinquent behavior. It appealed to public schools in the Lisbon area for the application of the study. The sample consists of 218 participants, 108 male and 110 female participants who are attending primary and secondary education, to the 8th until 10th grade between 12 and 18 years old. The quality of attachment will be measured by the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment - IPPA (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987b), from the dimensions Trust, Communication and Alienation. The delinquent behavior will be measured through the Juvenile Diversion Behaviors Variety Scale (Sanches, Pereira, Gomes & Roncar, 2015). The results help to determine that the attachment to mother and dimensions are significantly correlated with delinquency. The adolescent with more confidence and communication and less alienation to his mother has less delinquent behavior. In the peer, the dimension confidence showed significant results with delinquency. The attachment to father didn’t show significant results for this sample.

Le but de cette étude est d’examiner les liens prédictifs entre les comportements d’agressivité proactive à l’enfance et la délinquance à l’adolescence, ainsi que le rôle potentiellement modérateur des normes prosociales du groupe-classe et du rejet par le groupe de pairs. Spécifiquement, les liens suivants seront examinés : 1) le lien principal positif entre l’agressivité proactive à l’enfance et la délinquance à l’adolescence, 2) l’effet modérateur (i.e., protecteur) des normes prosociales au sein du groupe-classe sur le lien entre l’agressivité proactive et la délinquance et 3) l’effet modérateur de second niveau du rejet par les pairs eu égard à l’effet modérateur de premier niveau des normes prosociales du groupe-classe. Deux modèles théoriques seront utilisés afin d’appuyer le choix des hypothèses et offrir un cadre conceptuel en vue de l’interprétation des résultats: Le modèle du groupe de référence et le modèle de la similarité personne-groupe. Les données proviennent d’un échantillon composé de 327 enfants ayant été évalués à 6 reprises, de l’âge de 10 ans (4e année primaire) à 15 ans (3e secondaire). La délinquance fut mesurée à l’aide de données auto-rapportées par les participants. Les normes prosociales du groupe-classe furent basées sur les évaluations moyennes faites par les enseignants des comportements prosociaux des élèves de leur classe. Le rejet par les pairs fut mesuré à l’aide d’évaluations sociométriques au sein des groupes-classes. Des modèles de régression linéaire hiérarchique ont été utilisés. Les résultats montrent un lien positif entre l’agressivité proactive à l’enfance et la délinquance à l’adolescence. Malgré l’obtention d’un coefficient d’interaction marginal, les résultats indiquent que les normes prosociales modèrent, mais à la hausse, le lien entre l’agressivité et la délinquance. L’effet modérateur du rejet par les pairs n’apparaît pas comme étant significatif. Ces résultats seront discutés afin de mieux comprendre le lien entre l’agressivité et les éléments du contexte social dans lequel l’enfant évolue, ainsi que leur implication au niveau de la prévention des problèmes d’agressivité et de la délinquance en milieu scolaire.
The purpose of this study is to examine the predictive relationships between the behavior of proactive aggression in childhood and adolescent delinquency, and possibly the effect of moderating standards prosocial class group and the rejection by the peer group. Specifically, linkages will be examined: 1) the main positive link between proactive aggression in childhood and adolescent delinquency, 2) the moderating effect (ie, guard) first-level standards in prosocial class group on the link between proactive aggression and delinquency and 3) the moderating effect of the second level of peer rejection, given the dampening effect of the first level of prosocial norms of their class group. Two theoretical models are used to support the choice of assumptions and provide a framework in interpreting the results: The model group and model group similarity person. The data come from a sample of 327 children were assessed at six times the age of 10 years (ie, grade 4) and 15 (third year of secondary). Delinquency was measured using self-reported data by participants. Standards prosocial class group are based on average ratings made by teachers of prosocial behavior in their class. The rejection by peers was measured using sociometric assessments in group classes. The hierarchical linear regression models were used. The results show a positive link between proactive aggression in childhood and adolescent delinquency. Despite obtaining a marginal interaction coefficient, the results indicate that moderate pro-social norms, but increasing, the link between aggression and delinquency. The moderating effect of peer rejection is not as significant. These results will be discussed to better understand the link between aggression and elements of social context in which the child grows, and their involvement in the prevention of problems with aggression and delinquency in schools.