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Protective factors for youth considered at risk of criminal behaviour: does participation in extracurricular activities help?
Author(s) -
Burton Jodi M.,
Marshall Lisa A.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
criminal behaviour and mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1471-2857
pISSN - 0957-9664
DOI - 10.1002/cbm.36
Subject(s) - psychology , clinical psychology , applied psychology
Background There is a lack of research investigating the potential protective effect of participation in extracurricular activities on youth who are at risk of engaging in delinquent activity. Aim This study examined the potential for participation in extracurricular activities to act as a protective factor for youth deemed at risk of engaging in delinquent activity. Method One hundred and sixty‐nine secondary students from Glasgow, Scotland completed two questionnaires (the Youth Self‐Report and an additional information sheet) requesting information about their participation in extracurricular and delinquent activities as well as their possible risk factors. Activities included sports, non‐sports (hobbies and games), current activities (youth clubs and other organisations) and previous involvement in activities. Risk factors included residing in a broken home, having four or more siblings, academic failure and lacking a nonparental very important person. Delinquent activities included rule‐breaking and aggressive behaviours. Results Independent samplest‐tests found that females participated in significantly more non‐sports and previous activities than males and that males participated in significantly more rule‐breaking behaviour than females. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses found that gender and participation in sports were strong predictors of rule‐breaking behaviour. A significant positive correlation was found between participation in sports and involvement in aggressive behaviour. Conclusion The results suggest that participation in extracurricular activities does not act as a protective factor for youth, regardless of whether or not they are considered to be at risk of engaging in delinquent activity. The significant correlation found between participation in sports and involvement in aggressive behaviour suggests that youth participation in sports may act as a risk factor. Copyright © 2005 Whurr Publishers Ltd.