The Influence of Juvenile Justice Workers on Delinquent Youths’ Treatment Motivation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of delinquent youths’ perceptions of juvenile justice system(JJS) workers’ implicit theories of intelligence and achievement goals on youths’ motivation to complete delinquency-reduction treatment programs. Results revealed that delinquent youths’ perceptions of JJS workers’ mastery goals positively influenced their self-efficacy, mastery and performance goals. Additionally, workers’ entity theories of intelligence positively affected youths’ performance goals. Notably, three significant interaction effects emerged between JJS workers’ incremental theories of intelligence and performance goals, influencing youths’ treatment motivation. First, the relationship between JJS workers’ performance goals and delinquent youths’ self-efficacy varied by youths’ perceptions of workers’ incremental beliefs. Second, JJS workers’ incremental beliefs moderated the effect of workers’ performance goals on youths’ mastery goals. Finally, the relationship between youths’ performance goals and workers’ performance goals varied depending upon workers’ endorsement of incremental beliefs.