The Psychology of Thai Delinquent Youth: A Study of Self-Perception, Ego Defenses, and Personality Traits

Abstract

Because little is known about the mental and emotional functioning of delinquent adolescents in Thailand, 400 incarcerated youths (300 boys and I 00 girls) and 400 nonadjudicated controls of equivalent age, gender, socioeconomic status, and religion completed newly normed measures of self-concept (Tennessee Self-Concept Scale), ego defense mechanisms (Life Style Index), and personality traits (Adjective Checklist). Among delinquents, gender contrasts revealed that girls, although less self-confident than their male peers, had better social skills and were more aware of their emotions. Relative to controls, the self-perceptions of delinquents were rigid and distinguished by feelings of impulsiveness and being misunder-stood by family members. Denial, repression, and regressive emotionality characterized the coping of the criminally involved youths, and personality test data revealed that the jailed adolescents had impaired introspective and interpersonal abilities. Implications ofthefindingsfor the prevention of delinquency and the treatment of adolescents with disorders of conduct are discussed.