The Moderating Effect of Prosocial Peers on the Relationships Between Peer Delinquency, Neutralization, and Violent Offending

The goal of the current investigation was to determine whether prosocial peer associations can serve as protective factors by interacting with key components of the peer influence effect. A moderated mediation analysis performed on 2,474 youth (52% female) from the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) study (mean age = 12.13 years) revealed that Wave 2 prosocial peer associations moderated the peer delinquency–neutralization relationship. Alternately, Wave 3 prosocial peer associations moderated the neutralization–violent offending relationship. Hence, neutralization beliefs were disproportionately weaker in participants with fewer delinquent peer associations and more prosocial peer associations, whereas the effect of neutralization on delinquency was attenuated, though not eliminated, by strong prosocial peer associations. These results suggest that prosocial peer associations may serve a protective function at different points in the peer influence sequence and that they may be more than simply the converse of peer delinquency.

Resilience Factors, the School-Based Universal Prevention Program "Unplugged" and Healthy Behavior among Early Adolescents

The paper investigates the role of the internal asset (IA), perceived external resources (PER) of resilience, and the school-based universal prevention program known as ‘Unplugged’ in explaining persistent healthy behavior among early adolescence. A sample of 425 adolescents was collected in a repeated measure design study with a baseline (T1) and a six-month follow-up (T2) after the Unplugged implementation. Persistent healthy behavior was assessed by a change in the cumulative index of substance use created by combining alcohol use and cigarette smoking in the past 30 days and their change between T1 and T2. Four categories were created: non-users, permanent users, new users and ex-users. A multinominal logistic regression revealed that non-users were more likely to show higher self-esteem when compared to permanent users. Females had a higher probability of being non-users than either being permanent users or new users. Moreover, Unplugged intervention increased the probability of being a non-user rather than a new user. Regarding PER of resilience, non-users were more likely to have higher home support, prosocial peers, and school connectedness compared to permanent users. Non-users were also more likely to have higher levels of prosocial peers compared to new users. In summary, higher self-esteem, home support, prosocial peers and school connectedness are associated with persistent healthy behavior. To maintain this persistent healthy behavior, the school-based universal prevention program Unplugged has been effective; thus internal assets and external resources of resilience, and prevention program Unplugged, play an important role in the absence of alcohol or cigarette use in early teenage years.

Factors associated with self- and other-directed aggression in Slovak adolescents

Background We investigated differences in intrapersonal and interpersonal characteristics of adolescents with and without reported aggressive behaviours (AB). We distinguished two types of intrapersonal factors (self-esteem (SE), self-control (SC)) and three types of interpersonal factors (prosocial peers (PP), supportive relationships at home (SRH), supportive relationships at school (SRS)). We separately examined self-directed aggressive behaviours (self-destructive thoughts, self-destructive behaviour) and other-directed aggressive behaviours (using vulgar words, fighting, physical harm, intimidation, mockery of classmates). Methods A representative sample of 1101 adolescents (50.1% female, mean age of 13.5 years) was collected from primary schools in Slovakia. The respondents completed the SE Scale, the SC Scale, the Resilience and Youth Development scale and they were also asked about the frequency of AB. In each form of AB (self- and other-directed) two groups were created: those who reported some AB and those who did not report any AB. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests were used for the data analysis. Results Almost 75% of the adolescents reported some AB towards others and 41% reported self-harming thoughts or behaviours. Statistically significant differences were observed for both self-directed AB (SE: p<.001, SC: p<.001, PP: p<.001, SRH: p=.013, SRS: p<.001) and other-directed AB (SE: p=.034, SC: p<.001, PP: p<.001, SRH: p=.039, SRS: p=.016). In all cases adolescents who reported AB typically had a lower level of intrapersonal and interpersonal variables compared to those who did not report AB. Conclusions The study contributed to the understanding of factors linked to aggressive behaviour of adolescents and confirmed the associations with self-esteem, self-control, supportive relationships at home and at school and having prosocial peers. Key messages Aggressive behaviour of adolescents can be linked to interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. The above holds for both self- and other-directed aggression.

“Would You Be My Friend?”: Friendship Selection and Contagion Processes of Early Adolescents Who Experience Victimization

Victimization in early adolescence can have severe negative consequences later in life. Friendships are especially important in this time period. The present study investigated friendship selection and influence (contagion) processes with regard to victimization, as well as prosocial and aggressive characteristics of victims’ friends. Using social network analyses (RSiena), we longitudinally analyzed data of five fourth-grade classrooms, including 185 students (56.8% girls; [Formula: see text] age at Time 1 = 10 years old). Results showed that early adolescents who experience peer victimization were not likely to select peers with similar levels of victimization as friends but selected prosocial peers as friends. Moreover, friends did not become more similar over time in their victimization levels. Prosocial students selected similar peers as friends. The discussion highlights the relevance of fostering positive peer relations for targeting victimization and discusses the defending role of friends in victimization situations.

Testing a model of delinquency with Samoan adolescents

• Summary: This study uses an integrative framework that includes various theories on delinquency to explain the relative contribution of factors on delinquency among Samoan adolescents and their overrepresentation in the Juvenile Justice System. Some 275 Samoan adolescents were recruited for the study from the states of Hawaii and Washington. Structural equation modeling was employed for the analysis. • Findings: Two models were analyzed. One model tested all the factors regardless of economic status. The full model fits the data well. The other model utilized economic conditions as a moderating factor (multigroup model). The multigroup invariance shows that the measurement model appears to fit better with the higher income group rather than the lower income group. The results suggest that while acculturative stress has a direct impact on delinquency, family cohesion can be a deterrent to high acculturative stress on delinquency particularly for the higher income group. The major hypothesis was confirmed by the data to show that there was a predictive relationship between involvement with antisocial peers and delinquency, and prosocial peers and no delinquency. However, it varied by income group. The higher income group showed a stronger predictive relationship of the involvement with prosocial peers and low delinquency. • Applications: Given the results, it is imperative for social workers to understand the impact of acculturation on family members and their family functioning. A better understanding of culture and how it operates within a family as well as an understanding of cultural identity is an important part of service to Samoan families.