Shaped by Self: Integrating Self-Control, Self-Esteem, and Delinquency

• In Event: Family, Peers, and Neighborhood Effects on Antisocial Outcomes

Abstract

Existing literature has consistently highlighted the influential role that self-perception has on youth peer selection, as individuals are more likely to associate with those who reflect their own self-view, whether positive or negative (Swann, 1983; Cassidy, 2003). However, prior studies have failed to consider intervening variables and therefore often observe weak negative associations between self-perception and delinquency. By incorporating risk-seeking as an intervening factor, there can be a more nuanced understanding of how self-perception influences peer selection, as risk-seeking can serve as a driving mechanism for this relationship. To investigate these direct and indirect effects, the current study will utilize data from Monitoring the Future, a nationally representative survey of youth that captures a wide range of behaviors, attitudes, and values. By examining risk-seeking as an intervening variable, this study has the potential to provide a meaningful contribution to literature that expands the framework on self-perception and delinquency. This study also has important policy implications, potentially offering insight into interventions that target at-risk youth.

Authors

• Kelly Martinez, Sam Houston State University

• Peter Lehmann, Sam Houston State University