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ANXIETY, MORAL DEVELOPMENT AND PERCEPTION OF BEHAVIORAL CONSEQUENCES IN DELINQUENT AND NONDELINQUENT ADOLESCENTS
Abstract
Relationships among trait anxiety, moral development and personality characteristics were investigated in delinquent and nondelinquent adolescents. Following data collection, a median split of scores on the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale was used to form more and less anxious groups. A total of 88 delinquent and 86 nondelinquent males responded to the Jesness Inventory, two questionnaires concerning videotaped crime sequences, the anxiety scale, and the short form of the Defining Issues Test (a group administered, standardized version of the Kohlberg dilemmas). It was hypothesized that nondelinquents would use a higher stage of moral reasoning than delinquents, with anxious delinquents reasoning at slightly higher levels than other delinquents. Nondelinquents were expected to be less asocial and immature than the delinquents as measured by the Jesness Inventory, although no difference between the groups was expected on the manifest aggression scale. No difference was found between the groups in moral reasoning. Only three adolescents used predominately stage 2 reasoning; the others demonstrated their capacity for conventional thinking. Significant differences were found on the asocial index and the immaturity scale of the Jesness Inventory as predicted, but they were also found on the value orientation, social maladjustment, withdrawal, and autism scales. Contrary to prediction, delinquents scored significantly higher than nondelinquents on the aggression scale suggesting they were exerting a great deal of psychological energy to control negative feelings. Analysis of videotape questions indicated that delinquents more often described themselves as similar to perpetrators, expected injury for crime victims and would consider using stolen money to party or get high. Anxious adolescents were most likely to report perpetrators as guilt-ridden and to assume criminals would be arrested. Younger adolescents were most fearful of being caught and less knowledgeable about personal responsibility for injury to victims during commission of crimes. Videotape responses suggest adolescents' perception of criminal activities are complex. A brief analysis of 42 females, who were also tested, was performed and yielded similar results. Overall, this study suggests that there are considerable personality and value differences between delinquents and nondelinquents, but no differences in their moral development. Future research could further clarify these issues.
Subject Area
Social psychology
Recommended Citation
RYAN, MARGARET FRANCES, "ANXIETY, MORAL DEVELOPMENT AND PERCEPTION OF BEHAVIORAL CONSEQUENCES IN DELINQUENT AND NONDELINQUENT ADOLESCENTS" (1984). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8504813.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8504813