Developmental Trajectories of Delinquent Peer Association Among Korean Adolescents: A Latent Class Growth Analysis Approach to Assessing Peer Selection and Socialization Effects on Online and Offline Crimes

Abstract

The relationship between peers and delinquency has been taken as evidence for selection and socialization effects in the etiology of adolescents. Accumulating evidence suggests that both effects are involved. This study examines whether adolescents’ aggressive propensities and behaviors predict their peers (selection) and whether peers’ propensities and behaviors predict adolescents’ behaviors (socialization). The latent class growth analysis approach revealed three distinct subgroups: an early-onset group (0.9%); a late-peak group (3.37%); and a normative group (95.73%). Both selection and socialization effects were supported using a longitudinal Korean adolescent self-report. The results showed that adolescents with less self-control who are online more frequently and exhibit higher levels of traditional bullying and delinquency were more likely to be members of both the early-onset and late-peak groups compared with the normative group. Also, the aggressive behaviors fully mediated the link between aggressive propensities and delinquent peer associations. Furthermore, adolescents in the late-peak group (but not those in the early-onset group) were associated with a greater likelihood of online and offline delinquency, but cyberbullying and traditional bullying in late adolescence levels were high in both groups’ members.

Influence of Childhood Adversity on Students’ Delinquent Activities: Interplay with Neighborhood Context and Delinquent Peer Association

“…The findings of this research support hypothesis 4 (H4) that associating with delinquent peers increases the probability of delinquency among other juveniles. This result supports previous related research conducted previously on incarcerated and nonincarcerated juveniles by Walters et al [145,146], Rudy et al [36], Walters [145], Ragan et al [147], Guo [148], Connolly et al [38], Cho et al [37], Defoe et al [39], and Stults et al [149]. Our findings for all subscales of peer delinquency are aligned with previous studies.…”

“…Peer groups are another crucial factor behind juveniles' behavioral outcomes [36]. Previous studies found that association with delinquent peers may increase the probability of different forms of delinquency among youngsters [37][38][39]. Peer groups influence juveniles to act a certain way by providing positive and negative responses.…”

Deviant Identity and Offending: A Longitudinal Study of South Korean Youths

“…Studies using Korean student data classified students into three trajectories in the examination of victimization, delinquent peer association, peer delinquency, and bullying, respectively. Given the different foci of the classifications across these studies, the descriptions of three trajectory groups that emerged in each varies substantially; they are essentially non-comparable (Bax & Hlasny, 2019; Cho, 2021; Cho & Lacey, 2021; Cho, Lacey, & Kim, 2021). To our best knowledge, only one previous study using Korean student data examined trajectories of youth delinquency, with the authors separating the trajactories of male and female students for violent versus nonviolent delinquency.…”