Typologies and Characteristics of Adolescent-Peer Delinquency using Latent Class Analysis

Abstract

Objective Delinquent peers are important predictors of adolescent delinquent behavior. Few studies have classified individuals into groups based on patterns of delinquent behavior among youth and their peers. This study identified latent groups based on adolescent-peer delinquency and examined psychosocial characteristics of each latent group. Methods First, the study employed latent class analysis based on a nationally representative data of South Korean middle school students (N = 2,277). Both adolescent and peer delinquent behaviors comprised 13 items in the questionnaire that was self-reported by adolescents. Second, the study used multivariate regression models to analyze psychosocial symptoms of latent groups and conducted Wald tests to compare differences among latent groups. Results Patterns of adolescent-peer delinquency were classified into six latent groups. “Mutual total delinquent group (1.2%)” showed high rates in most delinquent experiences. “Mutual status delinquent group (5.7%)” mainly experienced status delinquency, “Mutual violence delinquent group (5.3%)” showed high rates of violent delinquency. “Peer-only total high delinquent group (3.8%)” reported friends to have engaged in all types of delinquency and “Peer-only total medium delinquent group (11.8%)” reported peer involvement in multiple status and few violent delinquency. Finally, “low risk group (72.2%)” reported low rates of delinquency for themselves and their friends. Regression analysis showed that every “mutual” delinquent group presented significantly worse psychosocial problems than the “low risk group.” Conclusion Using person centered latent class analysis, this study classified six latent classes while considering both delinquent agents and various types of delinquency and investigated specific groups with greater risk of psychosocial problems. Keywords: juvenile delinquency, delinquent peer, delinquent agent, delinquent type, latent class analysis