The primary purpose of this study was to utilize an ecological-transactional theoretical framework and an existing longitudinal data set to examine the relationships among neighborhood context, family supervision, association with deviant peers, and patterns of substance use during adolescence. Participants included 821 youth from the Longitudinal Cohort Study of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) data set. Data include primary caregiver and youth self-report measures of adult supervision, peer associations, and substance use. Data also include community survey and systematic social observation measures of neighborhood social processes such as collective efficacy, social disorder and social capital, neighborhood disadvantage, policing, and perceived danger collected from 1994-2001 in the city of Chicago. Latent growth curve modeling analyses were used to answer the research questions. Study results were significant associations between neighborhood social processes and substance use. Contrary to previous findings, more positive neighborhood social processes were related to higher levels of substance use for females. For both the African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino groups, deviant peer associations were related to higher levels of substance use at age 12. For the Hispanic/Latino group, higher neighborhood socioeconomic status was related to greater increases in substance use over time. Study results suggest the continued importance of research to discover sex and ethnic variation in associations among contextual influences and adolescent substance use. The current study makes a significant contribution to extant literature by examining the influence of neighborhood social processes, deviant peer associations, and supervision on substance use trajectories. Including peers, parental, and neighborhood factors&mdashin one model&mdashprovided a more comprehensive examination of how contextual influences impact the development of adolescent substance use. In addition, using a multilevel analysis with a diverse, longitudinal data set provided further insights into understanding ethnic and gender variation in the development of adolescents' substance use. Supplemental files include description of PHDCN scale items, HOME measure, Deviance of Peers measure, and items from the Substance Use Interview.

This study tests the predictions made by several causal theories proposing different etiologies for childhood-onset and adolescent-onset conduct problems. It investigates a variety of causal factors proven to be important for the development of antisocial behaviors, specifically neuropsychological/cognitive deficits, temperamental vulnerabilities, dysfunctional parenting, deviant peers, and rebelliousness. Current theories generally agree that the early onset pathway is distinguished by interactions between a child with a difficult temperament and dysfunctional parent-child interactions. However, theories differ as to whether they emphasize the temperament and neurocognitive deficits of the child, or the parenting behaviors. In the adolescent onset pathway, theories typically focus on the importance of affiliation with deviant peers but differ as to whether this is attributed to a personality characterized by the rejection of traditional values and rebelliousness as leading to this association or failures in parenting practices. Seventy-eight pre-adjudicated adolescent (ranging in age from 11 to 18) boys housed in two short-term detention facilities and one outpatient program for boys at risk for involvement in the juvenile justice system in southeastern Louisiana participated in the current study. The sample was ethnically diverse (56% African-American) and largely came from facilities serving either a large urban or a largely suburban and rural region of the state. The sample was divided into two groups based on the youngest age of a self-reported delinquent act or parent-reported severe conduct problem. The childhoodonset group (n =47) displayed at least one serious antisocial behavior prior to age 12, whereas the adolescent-onset group (n =31) did not. As predicted, the childhood-onset group showed greater levels of dysfunctional parenting and CU traits. Contrary to predictions, however, this group also showed the strongest affiliation with deviant peers. The only variable strongly associated with the adolescent onset group was lower scores on a measure of traditionalism which indicates less endorsement of traditional values and status hierarchies. The implications of these results for understanding different causal trajectories to antisocial behavior and for designing better prevention and treatment programs for antisocial youth are discussed.

Cyberbullying is a relatively new area of research which has developed over the last decade. Although its popularity has taken off recently, more research is needed to discern cyberbullying behavior. This dissertation seeks to address whether weak commitment to school, deviant peers, and cyberbullying victimization-strain variables can explain cyberbullying offending. In addition, it attempts to explain the mediation effects among weak commitment to school, deviant peers, cyberbullying victimization-strain, and cyberbullying offending variables. Using data from two middle schools in the United States, the findings suggest that weak commitment to school, deviant peers, and cyberbullying victimization-strain variables were able to predict cyberbullying offending. The findings also show that deviant peers and cyberbullying victimization-strain mediated, at least partly, the effect of weak commitment to school on cyberbullying offending. Overall, this dissertation indicates weak to moderate support for the commitment to school concept of social bonding theory and moderate to strong support for both the differential association and strain concepts of social learning and general strain theories. Theory and research implications are discussed.

Using a longitudinal sample of Chinese immigrant families, the current study examined parent-child acculturation discrepancy as an ongoing risk factor for delinquency, through the mediating pathway of parental knowledge of the child’s daily experiences relating to child’s contact with deviant peers. Based on the absolute difference in acculturation levels (tested separately for Chinese and American orientations) between adolescents and parents, one parent in each family was assigned to the “more discrepant” group of parent-child dyads, and the other parent was assigned to the “less discrepant” group of parent-child dyads. To explore possible within-family variations, the mediating pathways were tested separately among the more and less discrepant groups. Within each group, the mediating pathway was further compared between father- and mother-adolescent dyads from different families. Structural equation modeling showed that the proposed mediating pathways were significant only in the more discrepant parent-adolescent dyads. For more discrepant dyads, especially those discrepant in American orientation, a high level of parent-child acculturation discrepancy is related to less parental knowledge, which is related to adolescents having more contact with deviant peers, which in turn leads to more adolescent delinquency. This mediating pathway is significant concurrently, within early and middle adolescence, and longitudinally, from early to middle adolescence. Among the more discrepant dyads, the relationship between parent-child acculturation discrepancy and parental knowledge was stronger for father-adolescent dyads than it was for mother-adolescent dyads. / text

Although the extant literature suggests that associations with deviant peers (ADP) contribute to the persistence and exacerbation of adolescent conduct problems (CP) and substance use (SU), few studies have investigated processes through which these relations develop, the stability of ADP, risk factors for ADP, or prospective relations among patterns of ADP, CP, and SU across adolescence and substance use disorder (SUD) in early adulthood. Relations among ADP with CP and ADP with SU may be due to selection processes (i.e., youth select into ADP groups) and/or socialization processes (youth are influenced by deviant peers once they enter the ADP group). In addition, selection and socialization processes may be moderated by neuropsychological and temperamental (i.e., emotionality) factors, though there is a dearth of literature examining moderators of these processes. The present study addressed these gaps in the literature by examining five research aims: (1) identify subgroups of youth who vary in type and levels of ADP and CP/SU at three different ages using latent class analysis, (2) investigate the stability of ADP and CP/SU subgroup membership using latent transition analysis, (3) examine the prospective relations among ADP and CP/SU subgroup membership, (4) investigate potential neuropsychological and emotion regulation moderators of selection and socialization processes, and (5) evaluate prospective prediction to SUD in early adulthood from patterns of ADP and CP/SU subgroup membership across adolescence. Participants were youth who participated in a large-scale research project conducted through the Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research at the University of Pittsburgh. Youth and their families completed multiple assessments, beginning when youth were 10-12 years old, followed by assessments at 12-14, 16, and 22 years old. Results indicate (a) deviant peer groups vary based on type and severity of deviant behavior; (b) deviant peer group involvement increased across adolescence and continuity of deviant peer involvement was evident; (c) youth selected peers based on similar levels of deviant behavior across ages 10 to 16 years, but were influenced by these deviant peers to engage in CP and/or SU from ages 12-14 to 16 years; (d) relations between youth deviant behaviors and later selection of deviant friends differed according to levels of youth neuropsychological functioning and temperamental emotionality; and (e) earlier involvement with deviant peers, involvement with deviant peer groups defined by severe CP and SU, and youth engagement in both CP and SU were related to the greatest risk for SUD in early adulthood. / Psychology

Ce projet de mémoire vise à examiner dans quelle mesure la participation aux activités parascolaires modère le lien entre l'affiliation aux pairs déviants et le désengagement comportemental différentiel des adolescents et des adolescentes entre la première et la deuxième secondaire. L'échantillon initial est composé de 448 élèves de première secondaire fréquentant deux écoles de la région de Montréal. Au cours de deux années consécutives, le niveau de désengagement comportemental, la participation aux activités parascolaires et le nombre d'amis déviants ont été évalués à partir de mesures auto-révélées par l'élève. Les résultats démontrent qu'au-delà du niveau de scolarité de la mère et du niveau de déviance du jeune, l'affiliation à des pairs déviants est positivement associée au désengagement comportemental de l'adolescent. Par ailleurs, la participation aux activités parascolaires semble être un facteur aggravant pour le désengagement comportemental du jeune. De plus, nos résultats révèlent que l'effet de la participation aux activités parascolaires n’est pas le même pour les garçons et pour les filles. En discussion, plusieurs pistes de réflexion sont soulevées pour expliquer ces résultats surprenants. Les implications pour la recherche et l’intervention sont également présentées. / This study aims to examine the moderating role of extracurricular activities on the relationship between deviant peer affiliation and boys’ and girls’ disengagement between the first and second years of secondary school. The sample was composed of 448 students from two secondary schools in Montreal. During two successive years, the level of behavioral disengagement, extracurricular activities participation, and number of deviant peers were evaluated with self-reported measures. Results show that, beyond the mother’s educational level and youth deviancy, affiliation with deviant peers is positively associated with adolescent behavioral disengagement. Moreover, extracurricular activities participation is positively but marginally associated with student disengagement. Finally, results suggest that the effect of extracurricular activities participation varies between boys and girls. The discussion highlights the different implications of these results for research and intervention.

Ce projet de mémoire vise à examiner dans quelle mesure la participation aux activités parascolaires modère le lien entre l'affiliation aux pairs déviants et le désengagement comportemental différentiel des adolescents et des adolescentes entre la première et la deuxième secondaire. L'échantillon initial est composé de 448 élèves de première secondaire fréquentant deux écoles de la région de Montréal. Au cours de deux années consécutives, le niveau de désengagement comportemental, la participation aux activités parascolaires et le nombre d'amis déviants ont été évalués à partir de mesures auto-révélées par l'élève. Les résultats démontrent qu'au-delà du niveau de scolarité de la mère et du niveau de déviance du jeune, l'affiliation à des pairs déviants est positivement associée au désengagement comportemental de l'adolescent. Par ailleurs, la participation aux activités parascolaires semble être un facteur aggravant pour le désengagement comportemental du jeune. De plus, nos résultats révèlent que l'effet de la participation aux activités parascolaires n’est pas le même pour les garçons et pour les filles. En discussion, plusieurs pistes de réflexion sont soulevées pour expliquer ces résultats surprenants. Les implications pour la recherche et l’intervention sont également présentées. / This study aims to examine the moderating role of extracurricular activities on the relationship between deviant peer affiliation and boys’ and girls’ disengagement between the first and second years of secondary school. The sample was composed of 448 students from two secondary schools in Montreal. During two successive years, the level of behavioral disengagement, extracurricular activities participation, and number of deviant peers were evaluated with self-reported measures. Results show that, beyond the mother’s educational level and youth deviancy, affiliation with deviant peers is positively associated with adolescent behavioral disengagement. Moreover, extracurricular activities participation is positively but marginally associated with student disengagement. Finally, results suggest that the effect of extracurricular activities participation varies between boys and girls. The discussion highlights the different implications of these results for research and intervention.

En utökad förståelse för vad brottsbenägenhet är och vilka faktorer som påverkar den är ett viktigt första steg för att kunna förebygga hög brottsbenägenhet i befolkningen samt för att hantera aktuell brottsproblematik. Inom Situationell handlingsteori (SAT) definieras individens brottsbenägenhet som hennes lagrelevanta moral och förmåga att utöva självkontroll. Brottsbenägenhet påverkas av en mängd olika faktorer och den moraliska kontext som individen befinner sig i förefaller vara en av de mest centrala. Familjen och kamratgruppen är båda inflytelserika moraliska kontexter som kan påverka individens handlande och forskning visar att de har olika mycket inflytande i olika skeden i livet. Utifrån MINDS materialet undersöks förhållandet mellan familjens och kamratgruppens samband med brottsbenägenheten i 14–15 års ålder. Därutöver testas huruvida föräldrarnas uppfostringsstil samt graden av socialt kapital spelar en viktig roll för respektive kontexts inflytande på brottsbenägenheten.För att besvara forskningsfrågorna formulerades fem hypoteser som testas med en multipel linjär regressionsanalys.Resultaten visar att både föräldrarnas utövande av kontroll och umgänge med kriminella kamrater har ett signifikant samband med brottsbenägenhet i 14–15 år ålder. Dock visar sig umgänge med kriminella kamrater ha ett betydligt starkare samband med brottsbenägenhet än föräldrakontroll. Därav framträder kamratgruppen som en mer inflytelserik moralisk kontext än föräldrarna beträffande brottsbenägenhet i 14–15 års ålder. Socialt kapital visar sig ha ett signifikant samband med brottsbenägenhet, även när modellerna kontrollerar för föräldrakontroll, umgänge med kriminella kamrater och uppfostringsstil. Detsamma gäller inte för föräldrarnas uppfostringsstil vars samband med brottsbenägenheten varken är signifikant enskilt eller när modellen kontrollerar för övriga variabler. Uppsatsens resultat tydliggör flera intressanta möjligheter till vidare forskning om brottsbenägenhet samt har en rad implikationer för långsiktigt brottsförebyggande arbete. / A more comprehensive understanding of what crime propensity is, and which factors influence it, is an important step towards improving prevention of high crime propensity in the population as well as dealing with contemporary crime problems. In Situational action theory (SAT) an individual’s crime propensity is defined as his or her law-relevant morality and ability to exercise self-control. Although many factors can influence crime propensity, the moral context of situations seem to be one of the most crucial. Both family and peers constitute influential moral contexts in adolescents lives and their respective influence may vary in different stages of development. Based on the MINDS material, this paper tests the relationship between family and peers in influencing adolescents’ crime propensity at 14-15 years of age. The influence of social capital and parenting style on crime propensity is also tested in relation to family and peers. In order to answer the research questions five hypothesis were tested with multiple OLS regressions. The results show that both parental control and deviant peers correlate significantly with crime propensity at age 14-15 although the relation between peers and crime propensity is significantly stronger. This leads us to the conclusion that the peer group constitutes a more influential moral context than the parents in influencing crime propensity at age 14-15. Social capital correlates significantly with crime propensity, even when models control for parental control, deviant peers, and parenting style. This is not the case with parenting style which show no significant association with crime propensity. The results highlight several interesting avenues for future research into crime propensity and have several implications for crime prevention in practice.

Il lavoro di ricerca si focalizza sui modelli di giustizia e sulla devianza in adolescenza. Obiettivo è quello di mettere a fuoco alcuni elementi cruciali che intervengono come fattori protettivi e fattori di rischio nel comportamento adolescenziale. Nello specifico è indagato il ruolo svolto da variabili familiari, dalla giustizia procedurale, dalle emozioni e dal bisogno di riparazione. I contributi empirici utilizzano metodologie diverse: partendo da un lavoro esplorativo e passando attraverso la validazione di uno strumento di misurazione della giustizia procedurale il lavoro giunge alle analisi confermative su un modello teorico. Il primo studio qualitativo indaga le narrazioni e i significati attribuiti, da parte di adolescenti autori di reato, a tematiche familiari, emotive e di giustizia. Il secondo offre un contributo alla validazione italiana della Family Procedural Justice Scale (Fondacaro, Jackson, & Luescher, 2002), uno strumento self-report volto a misurare la giustizia procedurale in famiglia. Il terzo si occupa di proseguire nella direzione generata dagli studi precedenti e, attraverso analisi confermative sul modello teorico proposto, evidenzia il ruolo protettivo della percezione di giustizia procedurale in famiglia, della legittimità parentale, del bisogno di riparazione e delle emozioni di vergogna reintegrativa e colpa, mentre individua come fattore di rischio l’associazione a pari devianti. / The research focuses on the models of justice and delinquency in adolescence. The primary goal is to focus on crucial elements that act as protective and risk factors in adolescent behavior. Specifically, the role played by family variables, procedural justice, emotions and reparation is investigated. The empirical contributions use different methodologies: starting from an exploratory work and going through the validation of a procedural justice measuring instrument, the research comes to confirmatory analysis on a theoretical model. The first qualitative study explores the narratives and meanings attributed by adolescents offenders to family, emotional and justice issues. The second is a contribution to the Italian validation of the Family Procedural Justice Scale (Fondacaro, Jackson, & Luescher, 2002), a self-report instrument designed to measure procedural justice in the family. The third study continues in the direction generated by previous studies and, through confirmatory analysis on the proposed theoretical model, highlights the protective role of family procedural justice, parents legitimacy, need for reparation, reintegrative shame and guilt, whereas the association to deviant peers is identified as a risk factor.