NCJ Number
212727
Journal
Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2006 Pages: 75-96
Date Published
January 2006
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This study interviewed 92 delinquent and nondelinquent African-American and Hispanic adolescent females (ages 13 to 17) in Los Angeles County to determine the likelihood of their having male friends.
Abstract
The 49 delinquent girls were detained at a county juvenile detention center, and the comparison group of 43 nondelinquents came from 1 county high school and 2 after-school programs. The nondelinquent girls' demographic backgrounds were matched with those of the delinquents. Using both qualitative and quantitative measures, the study compared the girls' demographic backgrounds, friendship selection, and friendship quality. In addition, the delinquent girls completed measures related to self-perception and feelings of loneliness. The findings show that the delinquent girls were significantly more likely than nondelinquent girls to have males as their closest friends. The friend's age, the perceived advantages of the friendship, and involvement in delinquent and antisocial activities were related to male friendship selection. The male-friend delinquent girls did not differ from the female-friend girls on quantitative measures of friendship quality. Among the delinquent girls, there were no differences between gender friendship groups in feelings of loneliness, competence, and self-worth. Although the delinquent girls did not perceive that their friends contributed to their deviant behavior, the friendships involved similar interests in deviant activities. The author suggests that understanding egotism among delinquent girls might explain their tendency to select boys as their closest friends. Study limitations are noted, and suggestions are offered for future research. 5 tables and 30 references