Gender Similarities and Differences in the Association Between Risk and Protective Factors and Self-Reported Serious Delinquency

Abstract

Boys consistently report higher rates of serious offending during late adolescence than do girls, yet research is mixed regarding the ways in which males and females may differentially experience risk and protection in their families, schools, peer groups, and as individuals. This article examines gender differences in 22 psychosocial risk and protective factors associated with serious delinquency. Based on self-reported information from 7,829 10th-grade students completing the Communities That Care Youth Survey, all psychosocial factors were significantly related to serious delinquency for both sexes. For 12 of the 22 factors, the strength of the association was significantly greater for males, and, for 18 factors, boys reported higher levels of risk exposure and lower levels of protection than did girls. Together, these findings suggest that boys' greater involvement in serious delinquency is due to the combination of experiencing more risk and less protection than girls and the greater association of these predictors with serious delinquency for boys compared to girls. Implications for prevention programming are discussed.

Classifying Violent Versus Nonviolent Offending in a Diverse Sample of Adolescent Juvenile Delinquents

“…Sex did not significantly contribute to the classification of violent versus non-violent offense group membership, and was not retained in the stepwise model. This is inconsistent with research suggesting that being male is a risk factor for violent offending (Broidy et al, 2003;Fagan et al, 2007;Gorman-Smith & Loeber, 2005;Hart et al, 2007;Kroneman et al, 2004;Liu & Kaplan, 2004;Piquero & Sealock, 2004). This suggests that at least in this particular sample, violent and nonviolent offending was more evenly distributed among males and females than prior studies have found.…”

“…Research examining sex differences in risk factors for delinquent behaviors has suggested that males and females demonstrate unique developmental pathways (Broidy et al, 2003;Fagan, Van Horn, Hawkins, & Arthur, 2007;Gorman-Smith & Loeber, 2005; Hart, O'Toole, Price-Sharps, & Shaffer, 2007;Kroneman, Loeber, & Hipwell, 2004;Liu & Kaplan, 2004;Piquero & Sealock, 2004). For example, a multi-national study conducted by Fagan and colleagues (2007) examined risk factors in 7,000 adolescents and found a significant relationship between early aggressive behaviors and continuous delinquency among males only.…”

“…For example, a multi-national study conducted by Fagan and colleagues (2007) examined risk factors in 7,000 adolescents and found a significant relationship between early aggressive behaviors and continuous delinquency among males only. Another study found that developmental trajectories yielding delinquent outcomes extend through interpersonal relationships in females and through academic and peer domains in males (Fagan et al, 2007). One study examined sex differences in risk factors for violent juvenile and found that females had significantly more risk factors than males (Hart et al, 2007).…”

Incremental and Predictive Validity of the Antisocial Process Screening Device in a Community Sample of Male and Female Ethnic Minority and Caucasian Youth

“…Parents may be more likely to monitor their daughters' behavior more than their sons (Bottcher, 1995). Further, parents may be more likely to accept delinquent behavior on behalf of their sons than their daughters (Fagan, Van Horn, Hawkins, & Arthur, 2007). Females who display impulsive behavior may be monitored and supervised more closely than males (Bottcher, 1995), thereby limiting their opportunity to engage in violence.…”

Comprehensive assessment of youth violence in five Caribbean countries: Gender and age differences

“…School characteristics that encourage students' involvement and positive interactions have been consistently noted as significant protective factors (Arthur et al, 2002;O'Brien et al, 2013;Wasserman et al, 2003). Previous studies also show the complex and dynamic patterns of youth violence by students' demographics: In general, male and older youth often appear to be at-risk populations who have higher levels of risk factors and lower levels of protective factors leading to increased involvement in violence (Fagan et al, 2011;Fagan et al, 2007;Herrenkohl et al, 2000).…”