Problem Behavior in Chinese Adolescents in Taiwan

Abstract

This study was primarily designed to provide an empirical basis for a better structural definition of problem behavior in Chinese adolescents. Anonymous self-ratings of 130 problem behaviors were obtained for 2432 male and 2723 female students drawn from 14 junior high schools in the Taipei area. In analyzing the data, the 130 behaviors were first classified into 16 categories through content analysis by two personality psychologists. Category scores were then computed by unweighted summation of self-ratings over the problem behaviors in each category to generate 16 composite variables. Separate factor analyses of the composite variables were finally conducted, one for each sex. Two major unrotated factors emerged with substantial cross-sex invariance and were labeled General Maladjustment and Outward-Inward Orientation. Through oblique rotation, two psychologically meaningful factors were identified and named as Delinquent Behavior (further divided into two subgroups, namely, Pleasure-Seeking and Rule-Violating Delinquent Behavior) and Neurotic Behavior.