Peer Relations and Delinquency Among Girls in Foster Care Following a Skill-Building Preventive Intervention

Abstract

There is evidence that risk for delinquency is elevated among girls with foster care histories, and one correlate of delinquency is affiliating with peers who engage in delinquent behavior. Although intervention studies have shown positive effects of interventions that target delinquent peer affiliation on reductions in delinquency among adolescents with juvenile justice histories, the success of such interventions for younger girls in foster care, without prior involvement with juvenile justice, is unknown. We analyzed data from a randomized clinical trial of the middle school version of the Keep Safe intervention in a sample of girls in foster care ( n = 100). The intervention was delivered to girls and foster parents during the transition to middle school. Path analysis suggested a significant intervention effect on reduction in affiliation with delinquent peers at 12 months ( B = −.21). No significant mediation effects were identified. The middle school Keep Safe intervention shows promise as a preventative intervention for reducing affiliation with delinquent peers, which importantly is associated with adolescent delinquent behavior. Implications for researchers and professionals who tailor and deliver evidence-based programs for girls in foster care are discussed.

Female Arab teenagers’ involvement in antisocial behavior: Intersection of perceived ethnonational discrimination, sexual victimization, and affiliation with delinquent peers.

“…In accordance with the study’s hypotheses, we found that sexual victimization was associated with higher levels of violence toward others (Chiodo et al, 2009; Fowler et al, 2015; Herrera & McCloskey, 2001; Hu et al, 2021; Kim et al, 2013; Ormerod et al, 2008; Statland-Vaintraub et al, 2012). This association can be explained by the minority stress theory, which posits that sexually victimized minority individuals may experience prejudice and discrimination which could have deleterious mental health implications (Brooks, 1981; Meyer, 2003).…”

“…These findings stress even further the importance of investigating CSA in general and among Arab females at risk in particular. This is especially important because experiencing sexual victimization was found to be one of the strongest risk factors for females’ involvement in antisocial behavior and delinquency (Chiodo et al, 2009; Fowler et al, 2015; Gruber & Fineran, 2008; Hu et al, 2021; Kim et al, 2013; Ormerod et al, 2008; Statland-Vaintraub et al, 2012).…”

Affiliation With Delinquent Peers as a Mediator of the Relationships Between Family Conflict and School Bullying: A Short-Term Longitudinal Panel Study

“…School practitioners may also consider certain intervention and prevention programs to help children cope with family conflicts and avoid affiliating with delinquent peers. For example, previous studies have suggested that the Keep Safe Intervention Program (Hu et al, 2021), which is a program implemented at middle school and uses role-play, activities, and group work to help adolescents develop knowledge of accurate norms of deviant behaviors and increase self-competence in social areas, has been effective in improving adolescent’s social skills to maintain positive relationships with peers and reducing their acceptance of delinquent peers. As professionals consider these interventions, they must be aware of the concerns raised by scholars who advocate radical non-intervention (e.g., Kurtz et al, 2014; Schur, 1973), such as the potential labeling or stigmatizing effects that can occur when intervention programs are implemented.…”

Problemas conductuales y disfunción ejecutiva: Factores de vulnerabilidad y protección de niñas y adolescentes en acogimiento residencial

“…En relación con las conductas delictivas, las chicas son una clara minoría en el grupo de jóvenes que ingresan en el sistema de acogida por delitos, pues existe una proporción de más de 10 chicos por cada chica (Oriol Granado, 2013). A pesar de ello, la evidencia disponible muestra que el riesgo de delincuencia es elevado entre las niñas en el sistema de protección, y que un correlato de tal delincuencia es la afiliación con pares que participan en conductas delictivas (Hu et al, 2020). De hecho, ellas tienen un riesgo mayor de terminar relacionándose con chicos antisociales mayores en edad (Chamberlain et al, 2006), lo que puede terminar poniendo en peligro su adaptación psicosocial.…”