Citation

Erdelja S, Vokal P, Bolfan M, Erdelja SA, Begovac B, Begovac I. Croat. Med. J. 2013; 54(5): 460-468.

Affiliation

Ivan Begovac, Department of psychological medicine, School of Medicine, University Zagreb, Clinical hospital center, Kispaticeva 12, HR- 10000 Zagreb, Croatia, ivan.begovac@mef.hr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, University of Zagreb Medical School, Publisher Medicinska Naklada)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

24170725

Abstract

Aim. To assess the relationships between delinquency and demographic and family variables, academic performance, war stressors, home/community, school, and media violence exposure, self-image, and psychopathology. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 100 delinquent, incarcerated male adolescents and 100 matched schoolchildren from Croatia. It lasted from January 2008 to June 2009, and used socio-demographic questionnaire, questionnaire on children's stressful and traumatic war experiences, exposure to violence scale, the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire, and Youth Self-Report Questionnaire. Results. Logistic regression analysis showed that delinquency in incarcerated adolescents was more likely related to having parents who did not live together (odds ratio [OR] 2.40; confidence interval [CI] 1.18-4.90, P=0.015), being more exposed to violence at home/community (OR 3.84; CI 1.58-9.34, P=0.003), and having poorer self-image (OR 1.09; CI=1.03-1.16, P>0.002). Conclusion. Preventive and therapeutic interventions in incarcerated delinquents should be specifically targeted toward single parenthood, family factors, trauma oriented interventions, and focused on multiple dimensions of self-concept of adolescents.

Language: en