Control study of personality,interpersonal trust and coping style of juveniles in criminal gangs / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo study the personality traits,interpersonal trust and coping style of juveniles in criminal gangs and their relationship. Methods 15 male juveniles who committed crimes without gangs ( group1 ),52 male juveniles who committed crimes by gangs( group2 ) and 40 male lawful freshmen( group3 ) were tested with Eysenck Personality Questionnaire ( EPQ),Trust Scale and Coping Style Questionnaire.The data were statistically analyzed by covariance analysis or Pearson relation analysis.ResultsAfter the covariant effect of education levels was removed,the levels of P and N in EPQ of group1 ( P57.49 ± 2.62,N59.35 ± 3.55 ) and group2 ( P57.83 ± 1.24,N59.60 ± 1.68 ) were higher than those of group3 ( P43.88 ± 4.72,N39.07 ±6.40) with statistical difference (P＜0.05).The level of E of group1 (63.41 ±3.86) was higher than that of group2 (53.01 ± 1.83 ) with statistical difference (P ＜ 0.05 ).The levels of P,D and F in Trust Scale of greup1 (P24.68 ± 1.51,D14.36 ±2.19,F15.49 ±2.21) and group2(P22.95 ±0.71,D22.48 ± 1.04,F23.09 ±1.05 ) were lower than those of group3 ( P33.14 ± 2.72,D40.22 ± 3.95,F38.44 ± 3.99) with statistical difference (P ＜ 0.01 ).The levels of self-accusation and fantasy in Coping Style Questionnaire of group1 ( 0.80 ±0.08,0.83 ± 0.06 respectively) and group2 (group20.59 ± 0.04,0.68 ± 0.03,respectively) were higher than those of group3 (0.39 ± 0.14,0.44 ± 0.11,respectively) with statistical difference (P＜ 0.05 or 0.01 ),while the levels of problem-solving of group1 ( 0.76 ± 0.06 ) and group2 ( 0.70 ± 0.03 ) were lower than that of group3 ( 0.95 ± 0.11 ) with statistical difference (P ＜ 0.05 ).For the male juveniles who committed crimes by gangs,the P of personality traits had a statistical linkage with the problem-resolving and self-accusation of coping style ( r =- 0.389,- 0.395,P ＜ 0.05 ),the N of personality traits had a statiseical linkage with the F of interpersonal trust and the self-accusation of coping style ( r=-0.473,0454,P ＜ 0.05 ),and the E of personality traits had a statistical linkage with the help-seeking of coping style ( r=0.400,P＜ 0.05 ).ConclusionThe personality traits,interpersonal trust and coping styles of male juveniles who committed crimes with or without gangs and the lawful men are different.These psychological factors may have certain effect on juvenile gang crimes.