Adolescent Perpetrators Research Articles

Measuring serious violence perpetration: comparison of police-recorded and self-reported data in a UK cohort

IntroductionDetermining risk factors and consequences of serious violence requires accurate measures of violence. Self-reported and police-recorded offending are subject to different sources of bias. ObjectivesTo compare risk of self-reported and police-recorded serious violence perpetration in late adolescence and early adulthood using linked UK birth cohort and police data, to examine the association between cohort participation and police-recorded violence, and to use police-records to impute missing self-reported data on violence MethodsWe included individuals in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) who had been informed about the study's use of their linked data and had not opted out of linkage to police records (n = 12,662). We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression to address our objectives. Multiple imputation using chained equations was used to impute self-reported violence data to examine the likely impact of missing data on estimates of prevalence. ResultsSelf-reported violence perpetration in the past year ranged from 5.3% (at 25 years) to 12.9% (at 20 years) among males and 3.2% (at 17, 22, 24 and 25 years) to 6.4% (at 18 years) among females. Police-recorded serious violence was lower at all ages, peaking at 17-18 years (1.7% among males, 0.5% among females). Study participation was lower among people who had or went on to have a police record for serious violence; as a result, the prevalence of self-reported violence in the imputed data was higher (compared to observed data) at all ages. ConclusionsOverall, our study demonstrates the difficulties in measuring violence. While we have shown that a key advantage of linkage to police records is it enables outcomes to be measured irrespective of study participation, police data undercounts serious violence. Further, observational studies may also underestimate violence perpetration as individuals with police-recorded serious violence are less likely to participate in research. Therefore, while record linkage allows the advantages of both official police records and self-reported measures to be exploited, it does not negate their limitations.

Adolescence Does Not Divert Sex Offending Adolescents of Color from Criminal Legal System Involvement.

After the United States Civil War, during Reconstruction, Southern states targeted Black youth and men for incarceration and forced labor, often charging them with rape, spawning the Black male rapist myth. This study explores evidence of a Reconstruction-era ethos in present-day treatment of youth of color accused of sexual assault. Specifically, we examined effects of perpetrator age and race on legal outcomes in 382 alleged child sexual abuse cases. There were 291 adult perpetrators (91% men, M age = 34; 76% White, 20% Black, 2% biracial, 2% Latinx, and 1% Asian) and 91 adolescent perpetrators (96% boys, M age = 14; 73% White, 22% Black, 4% biracial, and 1% Latinx). Supporting hypotheses, adolescent (vs. adult) perpetrators were less frequently arrested or referred for prosecution-but only when they were White. In contrast, for perpetrators of color, being an adolescent (vs. an adult) did not reduce arrest or prosecutorial referral likelihood. Additionally, cases involving adolescents of color (vs. White adolescents) were more immediately criminally investigated. Thus, youthfulness does not proffer protection from criminal legal system involvement for adolescents of color accused of sex offending-evidence of modern and persistent racism rooted in a nation's past.

Exploring Sex-Based Differences Among Adolescent Perpetrators of Sexual Violence: A Test of General Strain Theory

Using data from the 2022 Minnesota Student Survey ( N = 85,004), this study applies multivariate logistic analyses for rare events to understand better sexual violence committed by adolescents from a general strain theory perspective. Informed by this theory, measures of unmet goals, loss of positive stimuli, and exposure to negative stimuli were used to develop multivariate logistic models that were examined to improve our empirical understanding of adolescent perpetration of sexual violence. The study also investigates whether sex-based differences exist among perpetrators. Results indicate that older adolescents and males were more likely to perpetrate sexual violence, with various forms of strain increasing the risk of perpetration as well as demonstrating slightly similar effects across sexes.

Childhood Trauma and Sexual Violence Perpetration in Adolescence: Mediating Effect of Temperament

Childhood Trauma and Sexual Violence Perpetration in Adolescence: Mediating Effect of Temperament

Inter-parental conflict and empathy in early adolescence as predictors of dating violence perpetration in adolescence and adulthood.

Witnessing inter-parental conflict is associated with dating violence perpetration in late adolescence and adulthood. This relationship may be moderated by adolescents' empathy, with more empathic youth viewing their parents' conflict behavior as less acceptable, and thus refraining from dating violence perpetration. This study sought to determine if empathy buffers the effects of inter-parental conflict in early adolescence on expected dating violence perpetration in early adolescence and actual dating violence perpetration in late adolescence and adulthood. Moreover, this study tested if expected dating violence perpetration in early adolescence and dating violence perpetration in late adolescence mediate the effects of inter-parental conflict and empathy on dating violence perpetration in adulthood. Sex differences in these relationships were also examined. The sample included 412 adolescents (52% male, 73% Black, 25% White, 2% Other) who participated at three time points between 2006 and 2022 (T1-T3, Mean age = 13, 18, 28 years). Results indicated that higher inter-parental conflict and lower empathy were associated with higher expected dating violence perpetration at T1 in both males and females. Inter-parental conflict at T1 predicted higher dating violence perpetration at T3 through expected dating violence perpetration at T1 and dating violence perpetration at T2. Empathy at T1 predicted lower dating violence perpetration at T3 directly and also indirectly through lower expected dating violence at T1 and lower dating violence perpetration at T2 in both sexes. There were no interaction effects of inter-parental conflict and empathy on expected or actual dating violence perpetration at any age.

Predictors of the Onset of Sexual Violence Perpetration in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood.

To identify factors in adolescence that predict the onset of sexual violence in adolescence and young adulthood. Data were analyzed from six survey waves of the longitudinal Growing up with Media Study (2008-2018) conducted in the USA. Participants were 778 youth 13-18 years old at baseline, who completed online surveys assessing sexual violence behaviors and predictors. Sexual violence perpetration behaviors included sexual assault, rape, attempted rape, and coercive sex. Only 2% of females and 3% of males reported their first sexual violence perpetration by age 14. In contrast, by age 18, 6% of females and 12% of males had perpetrated their first sexual violence. For both males and females, the rate of the onset seems to plateau by age 22. Predictors of the onset of sexually violent behavior for those who began perpetrating when they were 14-17 years old were largely similar to those who began perpetrating when they were 18-25 years old. Alcohol plus other substance use, aggressive and delinquent behavior, caregiver monitoring, behavior problems at school, externalizing peers, exposure to community violence, and exposure to violent media were all implicated. Early prevention-well before college and perhaps even before high school-is needed to have an impact on the onset of sexual violence perpetration, as most perpetrators of sexual violence will have acted for the first time by age 23. Several modifiable risk factors observed in adolescence could signal the opportunity for targeted prevention to reduce the odds of onset of sexual violence.

Cyberbullying Victimization and Perpetration in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Moderated Mediation Model.

Although cyberbullying victimization significantly impacts cyberbullying behaviors, research on its longitudinal mechanisms and protective factors remains scarce. A total of 1465 Chinese adolescents (52.2% female) with an average age of 16.14 (SD = 0.40) participated in a three-wave longitudinal study with 3-month intervals. Cyberbullying victimization positively predicted cyberbullying perpetration 6 months later, and this effect was mediated by impairment in personality functioning. Mindfulness buffered the predictive effect of cyberbullying victimization on impairment in personality functioning and mitigated the negative impact of impairment in personality functioning on cyberbullying perpetration. Further findings revealed that the indirect effect of impairment in personality functioning was more pronounced when levels of mindfulness were low, and higher levels of mindfulness could disrupt the mediating pathway of impairment in personality functioning between cyberbullying victimization and perpetration. The findings highlighted the importance of promoting the positive development of adolescents' personality functioning and fostering mindfulness skills to reduce cyberbullying among adolescents.

The role of bullying perpetration and victimization in adolescents' perceptions of school climate and social media usage

AbstractPrevious research has reported a relationship between adolescents' perceptions of school climate and social media use. However, the underlying mechanisms associated with the relationship have yet to be fully explored. This study aimed to examine the role of peer bullying in the relationship under consideration. This cross‐sectional study applied a correlational research model to examine the perceptions of 718 adolescents aged 11–14. Data gathering entailed the School Climate Survey, Peer Bullying Self‐Report Form, and the Social Media Disorder Scale. Significant relationships between school climate, social media addiction, and peer bullying emerged from the gathered data. The study also found that peer bullying partially mediated the relationship between school climate and social media usage, both in terms of perpetrating bullying behavior and experiencing victimization. Specifically, 22.43% of the total effect of school climate on social media addiction was mediated through exposure to bullying perpetration, while 25.10% was mediated through experiencing victimization. A notable finding of this study is the role played by a perceived negative school climate in terms of increasing social media addiction; additionally, this increase may be partially mediated by exposure to peer bullying. A discussion of the results in light of the relevant literature is included, along with suggestions for future study.

Cyberbullying Experiences: Whether and How Do the Need for Popularity and Emotional Intelligence Dimensions Affect Them?

The need for popularity and emotional intelligence (EI) have been shown to be relevant factors in relation to aggressive behavior, including cyberbullying. However, the need for popularity and EI have not yet been explored together in relation to cyberbullying victimization and perpetration in adolescence. This research attempts to examine whether the need for popularity was a relevant mediating variable in the link between EI dimensions and both cybervictimization and cyberbullying perpetration, and to identify possible gender differences. A total of 6,186 students aged 12 to 17 years (50.2% female, Mage =13.23, SD = 1.05) completed self-reported instruments. Structural equation analyses revealed that EI dimensions were directly associated with cyberbullying perpetration and cybervictimization, as well as indirectly via the need for popularity. However, self-emotion appraisal did not show links with cybervictimization. Gender differences were also found. For boys, self-emotion appraisal, other-emotion appraisal, and use of emotions were more strongly related to the need for popularity in comparison to girls. For girls, emotion regulation showed greater effects on both cyberbullying perpetration and cybervictimization. These findings highlight the mediating role of the need for popularity in the relationship between EI and cyberbullying, especially among boys. Overall, this research provides preliminary evidence that comprehensive prevention efforts to effectively combat cyberbullying should not only target EI skills directly and include a gender-tailored perspective, but also address the underlying motivations and influences related to popularity among adolescents.

Associations Between Sexualized Media Consumption, Sexual Double Standards, and Sexual Coercion Perpetration and Victimization in Late Adolescent Sexually Active Boys and Girls from The Netherlands

This study examined associations between sexualized media consumption, sexual double standard (SDS) norms, and sexual coercion perpetration and victimization in late adolescence and whether these associations were moderated by gender. Participants were sexually active Dutch secondary school students aged 16–20 years (N = 255, 58.4% girls). Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire at a single time-point. Overall, more sexualized media consumption was associated with higher odds of both sexual coercion perpetration and victimization. These associations did not differ by gender. Specifically, viewing online pornography and sexually oriented reality television more frequently were associated with higher odds of sexual coercion perpetration, whereas viewing others’ sexy social media posts more frequently was associated with higher odds of sexual coercion victimization. Finally, stronger endorsement of SDS norms was associated with lower odds of sexual coercion perpetration in girls, but with comparatively higher odds of sexual coercion perpetration in boys. Results indicate that consuming sexualized media and societal sexual double standards is associated with an increased risk of sexual coercion experiences in adolescence.

Application of statutory rape laws on male adolescents: Perspectives from police and probation officers

Statutory rape laws are designed to protect children from engaging in sexual relationships. While the enforcement of the laws on adult perpetrators is clear in its objective, its enforcement on adolescent perpetrators has been subjected to debates due to its complex nature. In Malaysia, the police and probation officers act as first responders in statutory rape cases, giving them valuable experience that can contribute to a deeper understanding in these cases. In this qualitative study, 22 police and probation officers were interviewed regarding their perspectives on the enforcement of statutory rape laws, their emotional disposition when statutory rape laws are enforced on adolescent perpetrators, and their perspective on the characteristics of statutory rape cases involving adolescent perpetrators, compared to their adult counterparts.Thematic analysis of the responses unveiled the worldview of the respondents, where some similarities in the perspectives were observed, especially in the respondents’ view on the larger purpose of the laws in protecting young girls. However, some differences were noted, such as in how the officers viewed the enforcement of statutory rape laws based on the characteristics of their profession. For instance, the police officers tended to defer to the laws and the probation officers tended to find the ‘whole story’ of the case. The findings also demonstrated the nature of sexual relationships between two adolescents, by which girls could as well be the initiators. The findings offer insights into potential avenues for improving the enforcement of statutory rape laws, particularly on adolescent perpetrators. Drawn from the responses, enforcement of statutory rape laws on male adolescents should take into account the complexity of adolescent sexual behaviour in relation to developmental and socio-religious factors.

Bullying victimization and bullying perpetration, social anxiety, and social withdrawal in Portuguese adolescents: A reciprocal association model.

Further research is needed to clarify the association of the different forms of bullying with social anxiety and social withdrawal over time in adolescents. This two-wave panel study with a 1-year time lag (October 2021-October 2022) examined the cross-lagged relationships between bullying victimization and bullying perpetration, social anxiety (i.e., fear or distress in social situations), and social withdrawal (i.e., consistent, and deliberate social solitude). Participants were 485 middle school students (234 girls) attending the seventh or eighth grade at Time 1 (T1) (Mage = 12.67 years, SD = 1.14 years). Social anxiety and social withdrawal were assessed using subscales of the Social and Emotional Competencies Evaluation Questionnaire. Bullying perpetration and bullying victimization were assessed using the Bullying and Cyberbullying Behavior Questionnaire-Short Form. The within-wave associations between the study variables were similar at T1 and Time 2 (T2), with the exception that the association between bullying perpetration and social anxiety was much weaker at T1 than at T2. The results of the path analysis showed that T1 bullying perpetration predicted T2 social anxiety, and that T1 bullying victimization predicted T2 social withdrawal. We also found a reciprocal relationship between social anxiety and social withdrawal. These findings highlight the importance of preventive and remediation interventions to reduce social anxiety in adolescents who engage in and experience bullying behavior.

Biopsychosocial risk factors for intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization in adolescents and adults reported after the COVID-19 pandemic onset: a scoping review protocol.

This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the biological, psychological, and sociological risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and perpetration reported after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. IPV is a significant public health concern, characterized by various forms of violence inflicted by intimate partners. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the global prevalence of IPV. While prior research has identified factors linked to IPV, the risk factors reported in the literature during this period have not been systematically mapped. Additionally, the similarities and differences in risk factors between perpetration and victimization have not been well delineated. This review will focus on individuals aged 12 years or older involved in dyadic romantic relationships. Primary studies and systematic reviews published from the year 2020 will be included. Full-text papers, preprints, theses, and dissertations published in English will be included. Studies focusing on factors unrelated to IPV risk will be excluded. Non-systematic reviews, opinion pieces, and protocols will also be excluded. Following the JBI methodology for scoping reviews, systematic searches will be conducted for both peer-reviewed and gray literature. Independent reviewers will screen records, select eligible studies, and extract data using a standardized form. Key risk factors will be mapped to explore their interplay. Open Science Framework https://osf.io/c2hkm.

Stalking Perpetration in Adolescents in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence

ABSTRACT Intimate partner violence can occur as a form of stalking behaviour, which is considered a pattern of repeated and unwanted behaviours towards another individual. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 498 participants from Portugal, aged between 12–21 years. Findings support that adolescent stalking perpetrators exhibited psychopathic traits, psychopathology, aggression, and childhood trauma. Results showed that anxiety partially mediates the association between childhood trauma and stalking perpetration. These findings provide a better understanding of stalking in adolescence, which allows professionals to have a more comprehensive approach when considering intervention programs. Limitations and future research are discussed.

Exploring the relationship between paternal co‐parenting behaviors and cyberbullying perpetration in Chinese adolescents: The moderating roles of psychological entitlement and gender

AbstractThis study examined the relationships between paternal co‐parenting dimensions (including integrity, consistency, conflict, and bias) and adolescent cyberbullying perpetration, delving into potential moderating mechanisms. A sample of 795 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 14.79 years, SD = 1.67) completed questionnaires assessing parental co‐parenting, cyberbullying perpetration, and psychological entitlement. Results showed a positive association only between paternal co‐parenting bias and cyberbullying perpetration. The study identified a moderating role of psychological entitlement, indicating a stronger link between paternal co‐parenting bias and cyberbullying perpetration for adolescents with higher psychological entitlement than for those with lower psychological entitlement. Notably, the significant association between paternal co‐parenting bias and cyberbullying perpetration only existed among boys. The study provides new insights into the roles of paternal co‐parenting and adolescent psychological entitlement in cyberbullying perpetration among adolescent boys, emphasizing the importance of mitigating paternal co‐parenting bias and reducing adolescent psychological entitlement to prevent cyberbullying perpetration.

What factors contribute to LGBTQ+ harassment perpetration? The roles of general and LGBTQ+ moral disengagement

ABSTRACT Violence towards LGBTQ+ people is a topic of growing social and research interest. The scientific literature has mainly focused on victimization, with few studies exploring the factors that could trigger LGBTQ+ harassment perpetration in adolescents. Moral disengagement is postulated as a possible predictor variable as it has previously shown a relation with other forms of stigma-based harassment. However, there are no conclusive studies available in this regard in relation to LGBTQ+ harassment. The present study aims to fill this gap by analysing the predictive role of general and LGBTQ+ moral disengagement in LGBTQ+ harassment perpetration, differentiating between cisgender heteronormative and LGBTQ+ youths. A total of 1971 Spanish adolescents aged 12–18 years (M = 15.01; SD = 1.70; 24.30% LGBTQ+) participated in this cross-sectional study. The results showed that moral disengagement predicted LGBTQ+ harassment perpetration according to moral justifications and the characteristics of the population. This study provides relevant information for preventing LGBTQ+ harassment and identifying the role of moral disengagement therein.

The Correlation between Emotional Competence and Help-Seeking In Adolescent with Deliberate Self-Harm

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is self-harming behavior without suicidal intent, so adolescents need to do help-seeking. One of the factors of help-seeking is emotional competence. This study aims to determine the relationship between emotional competence and help-seeking in adolescent perpetrators of DSH. Respondents totaled 103 people using purposive sampling technique. The results there is a relationship between emotional competence and help-seeking in adolescent DSH offenders (p = 0.000). The implications of this study can help adolescent perpetrators of DSH in overcoming their problems by increasing their emotional competence. And parents can be the first helper by communicating about what DSH adolescent perpetrators feel. And for future researchers, it is hoped that they can expand variables related to other factors related to emotional competence and can develop interventions to improve emotional competence in adolescent DSH perpetrators

Analysis of the different roles of teen dating violence in peer victimization and aggression

Different studies show the relationship between peer violence and teen dating violence. However, more knowledge is needed about this relationship. The aim of this study was to explore possible differences in peer violence (perpetrated and suffered) in adolescents with different role in teen dating violence (aggressor, victim, aggressor-victim, and not involved). The initial sample was composed of 1078 adolescents, but for the purposes of this study, only those students who had a partner in the last year were considered, 672 students (51.6% girls) aged 12-18 years (M= 14.45, SD= 1.62). These adolescents completed the CADRI scale, the VE-I peer victimization scale, and the violent behavior scale by Little et al. (2003). The results indicated that peer violence victimization and perpetration were closely related to dating abuse (victimization and perpetration) in adolescents. Students with frequent aggressor-victim role in partner relationships showed more peer violence behaviors. Girls victims of teen dating violence were more victimized by their classmates. These results show a strong relationship between these two problems, which seriously affect the well-being of adolescents.

Peer-Related Correlates of e-Cigarette Use in Australian Adolescents: a Cross-sectional Examination

Abstract Background This study examined cross-sectional associations between e-cigarette use and (i) perceived peer use of e-cigarettes and (ii) bullying (perpetration and/or victimisation) in Australian adolescents. Methods Data were collected in 2022 as part of a cluster randomised controlled trial. Logistic regressions examined associations between e-cigarette use (ever use) and the perceived proportion of friends who use e-cigarettes, bullying victimisation, bullying perpetration and “bully-victim” status (i.e. having perpetrated and been bullied). Results The sample comprised 4204 participants (Mage = 15.70, SD = 0.60). Perceived peer e-cigarette use (OR = 2.59, 95% CI = 2.42, 2.77 p < .001), bullying victimisation (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.46, p = .004), bullying perpetration (OR = 3.00, 95% CI = 2.45, 3.66, p < .001) and being a “bully-victim” (OR = 2.58, 95% CI = 2.06, 3.24, p < .001) were associated with increased odds of ever having used an e-cigarette. Conclusions While further longitudinal research is required, results suggest that future prevention efforts for adolescent e-cigarette use could target peer-related factors, such as perceived peer use and bullying.

여자 청소년의 정서적 학대 피해와 사이버 언어폭력 가해의 관계: 내현적 자기애와 피해자 정의민감성의 매개효과

여자 청소년의 정서적 학대 피해와 사이버 언어폭력 가해의 관계: 내현적 자기애와 피해자 정의민감성의 매개효과