NCJ Number
242028
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 41 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2013 Pages: 100-107
Date Published
April 2013
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationship between delinquency and hyperactivity, low academic achievement, depression, and low socioeconomic status in a sample of youth aged 11 to 15.
Abstract
Findings from this study on the relationship between delinquency and hyperactivity, low academic achievement, depression, and low socioeconomic status (SES) include the following: depression was found not to be a risk factor for delinquency but rather the reverse was true - delinquency led to depression; hyperactivity and low SES were found to be independent causes for low academic achievement, which in turn led to delinquency, which in turn caused depression; and low academic achievement had the most direct influence on delinquency, while hyperactivity and low SES had only indirect influences on delinquency. Data for this study came from a sample of juvenile males, n=503, aged 11 to 15, who participated in the Pittsburgh Youth Study. The participants were selected from the youngest cohort of the study and were included in the longitudinal follow-up for the study. Four explanatory variables and one outcome variable were analyzed: hyperactivity problems, low academic achievement, depressive symptoms, socioeconomic status, and delinquency. The findings indicate that depression is not a risk factor for delinquency, and that low academic achievement has the most direct influence on delinquency, suggesting that interventions should target low achievement as opposed to hyperactivity or SES. Implications for policy are discussed. Tables, figures, and references