NCJ Number
79961
Journal
Journal of Clinical Psychology Volume: 37 Issue: 4 Dated: (October 1981) Pages: 880-884
Date Published
1981
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study uses an integrated battery of three psychometric measures to identify depression and feelings of helplessness in a juvenile delinquent population.
Abstract
The sample consisted of 32 children, aged 10 to 16, who were referred by juvenile and family court judges to the Family Court Clinic of Metropolitan Toronto, Canada, for assessment, pending disposition of criminal charges. The psychometric battery used consisted of three tests: the Children's Depression Inventory (C), the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children (I), and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (P). On the three measures, the delinquent sample showed evidence of reduced self-esteem, depressive symptomatology, and characteristically external locus of control orientation. While these findings do not confirm that all delinquents are depressed, they suggest that a high degree of depression exists in this sample of delinquents. Delinquent acts may result as attempts to enhance self-esteem and to alleviate depression. Although the delinquents in this sample indicated that they had many friends and were physically attractive, delinquents in general may feel nonetheless that they are not able to influence their friends in their decisionmaking. The delinquent adolescent may feel attractive physically in contrast to a depressed adolescent. The results imply that depressed children can be identified and that those who are potentially delinquent may be identified by differentiating between views on physical self-presentation and the number of friends. Tables, 2 notes, and 15 references are included.