Premium
Prosocial involvement and antisocial peer affiliations as predictors of behavior problems in urban adolescents: Main effects and moderating effects
Author(s) -
Kaufmann Dagmar R.,
Wyman Peter A.,
ForbesJones Emma L.,
Barry Jason
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/jcop.20156
Subject(s) - prosocial behavior , juvenile delinquency , psychology , developmental psychology , psychological intervention , clinical psychology , psychiatry
This study examined the relationships between prosocial involvement (PI), antisocial peer affiliations (APA), and the degree of their overlapping or independent prediction of behavior problems in urban adolescents. Two dimensions of behavior were assessed at ages 9–11 and at ages 13–15: disruptive, aggressive conduct and number of delinquent behaviors in the past year. Participants were 167 urban boys and girls with multiple early childhood risk factors. APA predicted higher rating of aggressive conduct and more delinquent behaviors at ages 13–15 beyond the effects of earlier behavior problems. PI predicted lower rates of delinquent behavior but not aggressive conduct. A portion of the influence of PI on delinquent behavior was independent and a portion overlapping with APA. High PI moderated the positive relationship between APA and delinquent behavior, consistent with a protective effect. Interventions that promote PI are unlikely to substantially reduce associations with antisocial peers but may prove beneficial for youths with many antisocial friends by reducing contagion effects that promote delinquency. Other implications for prevention efforts are also considered. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 35: 417–434, 2007.