NCJ Number
178368
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 42 Issue: 4 Dated: December 1998 Pages: 305-318
Date Published
1998
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Because little is known about the mental and emotional functioning of delinquent adolescents in Thailand, a study was conducted involving 400 incarcerated Thai youths (300 boys and 100 girls) and 400 nonadjudicated controls of equivalent age, gender, socioeconomic status, and religion.
Abstract
The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale was used to measure self- concept; ego defense mechanisms were measured with the Life Style Index; and personality traits were determined with the Adjective Checklist. Among delinquents, gender contrasts showed that girls, although less self-confident than their male peers, had better social skills and were more aware of their emotions. Compared to controls, the self-perceptions of delinquents were rigid and marked by feelings of impulsiveness and of being misunderstood by family members. Denial, repression, and regressive emotionality characterized the coping of the criminally involved youths, and personality test data showed that the jailed adolescents had impaired introspective and interpersonal abilities. Implications of these findings for the prevention of delinquency and the treatment of juveniles with conduct disorders are discussed. 1 table and 42 references