Personality and Adolescent School-Based Victimization: Do the Big Five Matter?

• In Event: Victimization of Youth

Abstract

Self-control has provided a useful framework for understanding both offending behavior and victimization risk. As a theory of victimization, research has established that low self-control is directly related to victimization risk beyond a range of other factors. This raises the issue of whether other personality traits are associated with an increased risk of victimization. One way to address this issue is by examining the Big Five Inventory (BFI) of personality traits (Extraversion, Neuroticism, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness) to determine their relationship with victimization. Using a sample of ninth grade adolescents (N = 2,691) from the Rural Substance Abuse and Violence Project (RSVP), we tested whether personality traits included in the BFI predicted adolescent victimization—physical assault, robbery, theft, weapon pulled—above and beyond low self-control and rival explanations of victimization. The results indicate that, after controlling for risky behaviors, school attachment, and low self-control, Neuroticism and Openness are positively related to victimization while Agreeableness is inversely related to youth victimization. These findings suggest that examining personality traits other than low self-control is important to capture fully what makes someone vulnerable to crime. Further, we consider the theoretical and policy implications of the findings.

Authors

• Teresa C. Kulig, University of Cincinnati

• Francis T. Cullen, University of Cincinnati

• Pamela Wilcox, University of Cincinnati