The Predictive Importance of Selected Protective Factors against Different Types of Antisocial Behavior Manifested by Adolescent Boys and Girls

Ivana Václaviková,Lenka Selecká,Marek Blatný,Michal Hrdlička,Slávka Démuthová

doi:10.31577/sp.2020.02.796

Abstract

The study aims to identify protective factors against the antisocial behavior of adolescents. Data from the SAHA project (The Social and Health Assessment), obtained from the 16-year-old juvenile cohort, were used to analyze the antisocial behavior of adolescent boys (N = 733) and girls (N = 1110). Subsequently, levels of the predictive importance of the protective factors of the family environment, school environment, fulfilled leisure time and individual factors were tested through multinomial regression analysis in the groups of boys and girls. Slightly different paths to the absence of antisocial behavior were identified for adolescent boys and girls. Key predictors for adolescent boys with non-problem behavior are prosocial beliefs, prosocial behavior, leisure time, expectations of goal attainment, parental involvement, and teacher support. For adolescent girls, positive school environment, feelings of safety at school, parental warmth, parental supervision, prosocial beliefs, optimistic beliefs, and leisure time contribute to non-problematic behavior.

Highlights

Adolescence is perceived as a period of increased risk of manifestations of problem behavior (Modecki, 2016)
Peers become more important for fulfilling the need for belonging; numerous studies have demonstrated the harmful effect of peer-to-peer rejection on adolescent development, and this experience is assessed as a risk factor for later maladjustment (Sentse, Lindenberg, Omvlee, Ormel, & Veenstra, 2010)
The current study focuses on the simultaneous examination of the significance of protective factors with regard to the severity of the antisocial behavior in the typologies created (Selecká et al, 2017) separately for adolescent boys and girls

Summary

Introduction

Adolescence is perceived as a period of increased risk of manifestations of problem behavior (Modecki, 2016). Researchers are increasingly interested in identifying protective factors that reduce the likelihood of antisocial behavior, in the absence of risk factors and in their presence, through a specific interaction between them (Morrison, Brown, D’Incau, O’Farrell, & Furlong, 2006; Portnoy, Chen, & Raine, 2013). Research supports the importance of protective factors such as attachment to parents, social skills, internalized moral beliefs, interaction and engagement in close relations with prosocial peers, and rewarding of prosocial expressions, in terms of reducing antisocial behavior and alcohol use and in relation to lower incidence of depressive symptomatology (Connell, Cook, Aklin, Vanderploeg, & Brex, 2011; Monahan, Oesterle, Rhew, & Hawkins, 2014). The importance of protective factors in relation to antisocial behavior can be studied at the interpersonal level (family, school, and leisure time activities) and at the individual level (intrapersonal context). Peer social networks created based on shared goals and interests could work as a possible supportive agent

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