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Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Adolescents".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 80938

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Juan García-García

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Guest Editor

Health Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain
Interests: antisocial behavior; juvenile justice; younger victims and offenders; risk assessment instruments; cognitive reserve; applied psychometrics; meta-analysis; quantitative psychology

Dr. Elena Ortega Campos

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Assistant Guest Editor

Health Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Almeria, 04120 Almería, Spain
Interests: antisocial behavior; juvenile justice; younger offenders; recidivism; juvenile victims; risk assessment instruments; research methodology; systematic review and meta-analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Antisocial behavior in youth causes greater alarm in society compared to when this type of behavior is carried out by adults. Traditionally, research has been focused on young offenders, with the aim of preventing antisocial behavior from being repeated or becoming chronic. The study of juvenile antisocial behavior should be approached from a dual perspective, with the aim of understanding the risk and protective factors presented by both juvenile offenders and victims. The study of risk and protective factors (promotive and protective) will allow the prevention of antisocial behavior in young people, favoring the non-repetition of this antisocial behavior.

Better knowledge of juvenile antisocial behavior will allow the creation and adaptation of valid, reliable, and sensitive measurement instruments. The development of this type of instrument is essential for the correct identification of this changing phenomenon according to social and legal conceptions.

This Special Issue has the purpose of contributing to international research on youth antisocial behavior, where researchers can share and disseminate the latest research advances from the double perspective of victims and offenders.

Prof. Dr. Juan García-García
Dr. Elena Ortega Campos
Guest Editors

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Keywords

antisocial behavior
juvenile justice
recidivism
risk assessment instruments
victimization
youth offenders
youth victims

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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11 pages, 683 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Behavioral Activation System and Early Life Parental Abuse Are Associated with Antisocial Behaviors in Mexican Adolescents

by Jennifer Lizeth Espinoza-Romero, Martha Frías-Armenta, Marc Yancy Lucas and Nadia Sarai Corral-Frías

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1584; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031584 - 30 Jan 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3100

Abstract

Antisocial behavior (AB) is a complex phenomenon, predicted by a wide range of biological, environmental, and personality factors. These have high human and economic costs especially in adolescents, highlighting the importance of investigating factors that may be associated with these behaviors. Among the most potent predictors of AB are early life experiences and personality. To this end, the present study sought to investigate the association between early life parental abuse and behavioral activation system (BAS) personality traits assessed within the reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) framework and antisocial behaviors in Mexican adolescents. Our sample consisted of 342 adolescents (Mage = 17, SD = 2.47) from northwestern Mexico. Participants, after parental consent and participant consent/assent (if minors), self-reported early life parental abuse, current BAS personality traits, and antisocial behaviors. Through structural equation models, our results suggest there is a positive association between early life parental abuse and antisocial behaviors, as well as a negative association with BAS personality traits (R2 = 37%). These results contribute to the current literature by suggesting that personality and environmental variables can predict adolescent antisocial behaviors. Future studies should explore the interplay between these variables longitudinally and investigate both risk and protective factors, as well as negative and positive outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

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14 pages, 385 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Empirical Determination of Transitory and Persistent Delinquency in Chilean Youth: Validation of the Criminal Engagement Severity Scale “EGED”

by Sergio Chesta, Ricardo Pérez-Luco, Paula Alarcón, Lorena Wenger, Andrés Concha-Salgado and Eduardo García-Cueto

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031396 - 26 Jan 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3315

Abstract

Evidence from several longitudinal studies has established the relevance of the approach of evolutionary criminology to understanding and intervening with adolescent criminal offenders, seeking to halt the criminal behavior before its potential consolidation in adulthood. The aim of this study is to present the psychometric properties of the Criminal Engagement Severity Scale (EGED) to discriminate between transitory and persistent delinquency in Chilean adolescents of both sexes. The characteristics of the sample are revealed through descriptive analyses, and evidence of validity and reliability is provided that show its discriminant capacity using ROC curves and odds ratios, measures of internal consistency (Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s Ω), intraclass correlation, and unidimensional statistics. The results indicate that the EGED adequately discriminates between transitory and persistent delinquency, so that its use in contexts of assessment and intervention with adolescent criminal offenders can be recommended, because it helps to determine the intensity of the intervention required. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

14 pages, 1208 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Examining the Factor Structure of a Risk Assessment Inventory in Young Offenders: FER-R, Risk and Resource Assessment Form

by Paula Alarcón, Ricardo Pérez-Luco, Sergio Chesta, Lorena Wenger, Andrés Concha-Salgado and Eduardo García-Cueto

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(2), 756; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020756 - 11 Jan 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2877

Abstract

The FER-R, Risk and Resource Assessment Form, is a multidimensional inventory of structured professional judgment that assesses criminogenic risks and resources for the design and management of individualized intervention plans with criminally sanctioned adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the FER-R, reviewing its factorial structure to contribute evidence of convergent and discriminant construct validity in a sample of adolescents sentenced for crimes in Chile. For each domain (risks and resources) with its respective facets, a unidimensional bifactor structure (CFA-BF) was obtained, with adequate indices of fit that confirmed its construct validity, while the convergent validity was demonstrated with the YLS/CMI and the divergent validity with two MACI scales. The FER-R adds factorial validity to the evidence of the previously reported predictive validity, making it a robust inventory for the evaluation of young offenders, and a relevant tool to manage differentiated interventions in Chile, with a high potential for use in Latin America. The importance of finding a suitable balance in assessing risks and protective factors is discussed, in order to manage interventions adjusted to the needs of the adolescents to promote their criminal desistance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

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16 pages, 741 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Psychosocial Profile of Juvenile and Adult Offenders Who Acknowledge Having Committed Child-to-Parent Violence

by Ana M. Martín, Leticia De la Fuente, Antonia Hernández, Flor Zaldívar, Elena Ortega-Campos and Juan García-García

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 601; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010601 - 5 Jan 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5019

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to establish the psychosocial profile of adolescents and adults who have admitted to committing child-to-parent violence (CPV) and were serving a judicial sanction or prison sentence, respectively. Two groups of participants took part in this study. The first group was made up of 89 male youths who were serving judicial sanctions, and the second group was made up of 70 men serving a prison sentence. A cross-sectional retrospective design with concurrent measurements was used in this study. Group differences in the exposure-to-violence variables were conducted. Automatic regression models were used to estimate a self-reported CPV. In relation to the variables of indirect exposure to violence, statistically significant differences between those who admitted having committed CPV and those who did not, irrespective of being adults or adolescents, were found for seeing violence in class and at home but not for seeing violence on the street or on television. Regarding the variables related to experiencing violence, the results showed statistically significant differences in experiencing violence at home but not in class or on the street. The best predictive model of CPV includes some of the dimensions of self-concept, specifically academic and family self-concept, as well as the avoidant and rational problem-solving styles and the negative orientation toward problems. The results have shown the existence of a CPV offender profile that is common to minors and adults. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

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13 pages, 916 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between Punitive Discipline and Child-to-Parent Violence: The Moderating Role of the Context and Implementation of Parenting Practices

by M. Carmen Cano-Lozano, Samuel P. León and Lourdes Contreras

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 182; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010182 - 24 Dec 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6757

Abstract

This study examines the influence of punitive parental discipline on child-to-parent violence (CPV). The moderating roles of parental context (stress and parental ineffectiveness), mode of implementation of parental discipline (parental impulsivity or warmth/support) and the gender of the aggressor in the relationship between punitive discipline and CPV are examined. The study included 1543 university students between 18 and 25 years old (50.2% males, M_age = 19.9 years, SD = 1.9) who retrospectively described their experience between the ages of 12 and 17 years old. The results indicated that stress, ineffectiveness and parental impulsivity increase the negative effect of punitive discipline on CPV. There is no moderating effect of parental warmth/support. The gender of the aggressor is only a moderator in the case of violence toward the father, and the effect of punitive discipline is stronger in males than in females. The study draws conclusions regarding the importance of context and the mode by which parents discipline their children, aspects that can aggravate the adverse effects of physical and psychological punishment on CPV. It is necessary for interventions to focus not only on promoting positive disciplinary strategies but also on the mode in which they are administered and on contextual aspects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

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32 pages, 604 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Qualitative Study on Young Women’s Lives Prior to and Four Years after Youth Detention: Examining the Good Lives Model’s Aetiological Assumptions

by Lore Van Damme, Clare-Ann Fortune, Stijn Vandevelde, Wouter Vanderplasschen and Olivier F. Colins

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 11830; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182211830 - 11 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3070

Abstract

Detained female adolescents constitute a vulnerable, challenging, and understudied minority. Interventions for DFA are still dominated by risk management approaches with less focus on strength-based approaches such as the Good Lives Model (GLM). This study explored the functionality of DFA’s behaviour prior to and four years after release from detention, using the GLM as the guiding theoretical framework. A theory-driven thematic analysis was conducted of 30 in-depth interviews with former DFA (M_age = 20.80), exploring the fulfilment of their basic human needs (e.g., relatedness, independence) before and after detention. Before detention, the young women experienced multiple problems trying to fulfil multiple human needs, often contributing to poor balance in their lives and their antisocial behaviour. Although external and internal obstacles to fulfilling human needs were still present at follow-up, important improvements were noted, e.g., in the scope of their human needs and the resources available to fulfil their needs. The findings provide additional insights into the issues experienced by young women in detention and indicate there are opportunities to assist these young women, through the development of appropriate resources and capacities which provide them with appropriate means for fulfilling their needs and moving towards a personally meaningful and prosocial life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

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15 pages, 976 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Criminal Behavior and Psychosocial Risk Factors in Brazilian Adolescent Offenders: An Exploratory Latent Class Analysis

by Lais Sette Galinari and Marina Rezende Bazon

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10509; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910509 - 7 Oct 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3705

Abstract

Considering that adolescent offenders are quite a heterogeneous group in terms of behavioral and psychosocial variables, it is considered that a typological approach can assist in the systematization of these differences, aiming at a better understanding of the phenomenon and at clearer guidance in terms of interventions. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the behavioral and psychosocial profiles of male adolescent offenders, based on empirical data collected in a Brazilian sociocultural context. The profiles were made with a sample of 400 adolescent offenders to perform an exploratory latent classes analysis. The instruments used in data collection were the Youth Behavior Questionnaire (Questionário de Comportamentos Juvenis, QCJ) and the Brazilian Jesness Inventory—Revised (Inventário Jesness-Revisado-Brasileiro, IJ-R-Br). The most appropriate model was that of four classes, with the profiles found indicating differences between the adolescent offenders both in relation to psychological functioning and criminal pattern, as well as the psychosocial risk/protective factors associated with each of the profiles. These findings, in addition to contributing to understanding the phenomenon, may help to reflect on the assessments required to assist in judicial decision-making processes and the customized proposal of psychosocial interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

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12 pages, 525 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Child-to-Parent Violence, Peer Victimization and Cybervictimization in Spanish Adolescents

by Paula López-Martínez, David Montero-Montero, David Moreno-Ruiz and Belén Martínez-Ferrer

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(17), 9360; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18179360 - 4 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2843

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between child-to-parent violence (CPV) (high, moderate and low), peer victimization (PV) (relational and overt, both physical and verbal) and cybervictimization (CV) (relational and overt), taking into account the role of sex. 1304 adolescents (53.14% girls) between the ages of 11 and 18 enrolled at secondary schools in the Autonomous Communities of Valencia, Aragón and Andalusia participated in the study. Adolescents with high CPV scores obtained higher scores for all types of PV and CV compared to the other CPV groups. Boys scored higher than girls in overt physical PV and in overt CV and girls obtained higher scores in relational PV. A statistically significant interaction effect was observed; boys with high CPV scores reported greater overt CV. The results suggest the importance of CPV in relation to specific forms of PV and CV and highlight the need to take into account the different processes of family socialization between boys and girls to reduce the likelihood of adolescents being victimized. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

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10 pages, 337 KiB

Open AccessArticle

by Cristina Guerra-Marmolejo, Eloísa Fernández-Fernández, María González-Cano-Caballero, Marina García-Gámez, Francisco J. del Río and Eloisa Fernández-Ordóñez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 5836; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115836 - 29 May 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4835

Abstract

Background: For school medical services and the staff responsible for sex education for adolescents, it is important to understand the factors that may influence gender violence. The aim of this study is to determine whether the presence of sexist attitudes, double standards and/or romantic myths contributes to the risk of gender violence. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at five secondary schools in the province of Malaga (Spain). In total, 879 adolescents aged 12–18 years were included, studying years 1–4 of compulsory secondary education. Their attitudes were measured on the following scales: Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI), Double Standard Scale (DSS) and Romantic Love Myths Scale (EMA). Results: Significant differences were observed among the age/year groups for the mean scores obtained on each of the above scales (DSS, p < 0.01; EMA, p < 0.01; ASI, p < 0.01). By gender, the boys recorded higher scores for ASI and lower ones for DSS (p < 0.01). The Spearman’s rho value revealed significant relationships between the presence of sexual double standards and that of romantic myths and ambivalent attitudes (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Adolescents commonly express romantic love myths, sexist attitudes and sexual double standards. These three factors, which are significantly correlated, influence the presence of violence in dating relationships. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

13 pages, 990 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Parental Behavioral Control and Bullying and Victimization of Rural Adolescents in China: The Roles of Deviant Peer Affiliation and Gender

by Xu Chen, Ling Li, Gangwu Lv and Hui Li

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 4816; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094816 - 30 Apr 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3424

Abstract

Bullying and victimization (BAV) have been widely studied, but the potential mechanism of parental behavioral control (PBC) on bullying and victimization in Chinese adolescents has not been explored. This study aimed to examine a moderated mediation model for the association between PBC and BAV mediated by deviant peer affiliation (DPA) and moderated by gender. A total of 3779 adolescents (N_boy = 1679, M_age = 14.98 years, SD = 0.95) from southwest China has completed the Peer Bullying, Peer Victimization, PBC, and DPA questionnaires. The results indicated that: (1) PBC significantly predicted adolescents’ BAV (−12%); (2) DPA mediated the effect of PBC on BAV only for those adolescents who were both bullies and victims; (3) the mediating role of DPA was moderated by gender only in the relationship between PBC and victimization, with a relatively stronger effect in girls than in boys. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

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34 pages, 1373 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Use of Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices at School: A Systematic Literature Review

by Ernesto Lodi, Lucrezia Perrella, Gian Luigi Lepri, Maria Luisa Scarpa and Patrizia Patrizi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010096 - 23 Dec 2021

Cited by 59 | Viewed by 39682

Abstract

Background: In recent years, the use of restorative justice (RJ) and restorative practices (RP) in schools has grown rapidly. Understanding how theory and research address this topic is important for its practical implementation based on scientific knowledge. The aim of this article was to analyse the practices derived from RJ implemented in school and what kinds of results have been achieved. Starting from the analysis of the qualitative and quantitative research in the field, a systematic review was conducted on the last decade of studies using RJ and RP at every level of school education. Methods: For this review, methods including the PRISMA guidelines, the PRISMA flow diagram, and qualitative synthesis were carried out. Scientific articles for the literature review were selected according to the following criteria: (1) publication date between the years 2010–2021; (2) student population aged 6–18 years; (3) publications in the English language; (4) articles directly accessible or accessible by contacting the author(s); 34 articles met the inclusion criteria. Results: The most used RP in school are circles (n = 26), followed by restorative conferences (n = 17), peer mediation (n = 10), restorative conversations (n = 8), mediation (n = 7), community-building circles (n = 5). RP can improve the school climate, discipline, positive conflict management through actions that aim at preventing suspensions, exclusions, conflicts, and misbehaviours (e.g., bullying). RJ practices promote positive relationships between peers and between students and teachers, as well as to prosocial behaviours through the development of social and emotional skills. Conclusions: From the studies examined, a great interest in applying restorative justice and practices in schools clearly emerged. Discussions on the benefits and challenges of implementation were provided. However, there is still limited evidence in terms of direct correlation, which suggests further studies on the impact of RJ and RP in school settings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antisocial Behavior in Youth: Victims and Offenders)

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