Adolescent self-concept clarity and delinquency

The role of self-concept clarity and delinquency of best friends in adolescent delinquent behaviour.

Adolescents tend to be prone to imitating their friends’ behaviour. This includes behaviours that adults would prefer them not to do, such as petty crime (also referred to as delinquent behaviour). Imitating friends is rewarding, because it elicits positive reactions from friends and creates a sense of belonging and acceptance. But adolescents differ in the extent they imitate their friends’ behaviour. Adolescents with less clarity about who they are, are potentially more susceptible to the behaviour of their friends and possibly show more delinquent behaviour. This question was investigated in a study amongst RADAR participants.

The results showed that delinquent behaviour in adolescents decreased from age 13 to 18. The rate of adolescent delinquency was related to their friends’ delinquency: Adolescents who showed more delinquent behaviour also had friends who showed more delinquent behaviour. Furthermore, adolescents who did not really know who they were and what they wanted to do with life showed more delinquency. These adolescents were possibly showing more delinquent behaviour as a way to discover who they are or to cope with their insecurities. Additionally, adolescents with poor self-image were more vulnerable to influence from friends: For adolescents with poor self-concept clarity, rate of delinquency was more strongly related to their friends’ rate of delinquency than in adolescents with a clear self- concept. Adolescents with poor self-concept clarity were thus more likely to adapt themselves to their peers, likely due to a lack of strong convictions.

These results show that interventions aimed at improving adolescent self-concept clarity can make them more resilient to being influenced by peers and showing delinquent behaviour.

Levey, E., Garandeau, C., Meeus, W., & Branje, S. (2019). The longitudinal role of self-concept clarity and  best friend delinquency in adolescent delinquent behavior. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48, 1068–1081. doi:10.1007/s10964-019-00997-1