RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEX ROLE IDENTIFICATION AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS

• NCJ Number: 53226
• Journal: Adolescence Volume: 13 Issue: 52 Dated: (WINTER 1978) Pages: 643-652
• Author(s): A P MANNARINO; M E MARSH
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: Libra Publishers, Inc
• Sale Source: Pittsburgh Child Guidance Ctr
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE ROLE OF SEXUAL IDENTITY IN THE ETIOLOGY OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS WAS EXPLORED USING TWO DELINQUENT SUBGROUPS, SEX DELINQUENTS AND ANTISOCIAL OFFENDERS.

Abstract

TWO HYPOTHESES WERE TESTED: (1) THE SEXUALLY DELINQUENT GROUP WILL EXHIBIT THE MOST FEMININE SEX ROLE IDENTITY; AND (2) THE ANTISOCIAL GROUP WILL BE THE MOST MASCULINE IN TERMS OF SEX ROLE. FORTY DELINQUENT GIRLS WERE SELECTED FROM A STATE-ORGANIZED RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTION LOCATED IN A SMALL FARMING COMMUNITY. EACH GIRL'S RECORD LISTED THE ACTS SHE HAD COMMITTED WHICH RESULTED IN HER INCARCERATION. GIRLS WERE CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF WHETHER THEY HAD COMMITTED AN ANTISOCIAL ACT OR HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH SEXUAL MISCONDUCT. INCLUDED IN THE ANTISOCIAL CATEGORY WERE SUCH OFFENSES AS AUTOMOBILE THEFT, BURGLARY, ASSAULT, STEALING, ARSON, AND LARCENY. THERE WERE 20 GIRLS IN EACH SUBGROUP WITH AN EQUAL NUMBER OF BLACKS AND WHITES, AND THE GIRLS RANGED IN AGE FROM 13.5 TO 17.25 YEARS. FOR COMPARISON, A CONTROL GROUP OF 20 NONDELINQUENT GIRLS WAS SELECTED FROM AN INNER CITY HIGH SCHOOL IN A LARGE METROPOLITAN AREA. THE MEASURE OF SEX ROLE IDENTIFICATION WAS THE GOUGH FEMINITY SCALE. THE QUICK TEST OF INTELLIGENCE WAS EMPLOYED TO OBTAIN AN ESTIMATE OF INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SEXUALLY DELINQUENT, ANTISOCIAL, AND CONTROL GROUPS WERE FOUND WITH REGARD TO INTELLIGENCE. THERE WERE NO RACE DIFFERENCES IN SEX ROLE IDENTIFICATION. THE ANTISOCIAL GROUP WAS MORE MASCULINE THAN GIRLS IN THE SEXUALLY DELINQUENT AND CONTROL GROUPS. SEXUALLY DELINQUENT GIRLS WERE THE MOST FEMININE, ALTHOUGH DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS GROUP AND THE CONTROL GROUP WERE NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. THE THREE GROUPS DID NOT DIFFER IN THE NUMBER OF SIBLINGS, BUT THE SIZE OF FAMILIES IN ALL THREE GROUPS WAS SOMEWHAT LARGER THAN THAT NATIONAL AVERAGE. THE INCIDENCE OF BROKEN HOMES WAS 80 PERCENT AMONG SEXUAL DELINQUENTS, 60 PERCENT AMONG ANTISOCIAL SUBJECTS, AND 35 PERCENT AMONG CONTROL GROUP SUBJECTS. SUPPORTING DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)