Analyse des actes criminels commis et de l'usage des substances illicites pendant l'adolescence: Étude auprés d'un échantillon de participants volontaires d'établissements postsecondaires

• Main Author: Collette, Tessa
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English; French
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2015
• Subjects: Clinical psychology; Criminology
• ISBN: 9781321987218; 1321987218

A majority of youth participate in typical criminal acts at some point throughout the period of adolescence. Unfortunately for researchers, the typical criminal acts committed by adolescents are largely underreported and not accounted for in official documentation. Few studies have explored the relationship between different rates of self-reported typical adolescent crimes committed. The current study focuses on exploring the relationships between various patterns of criminal acts committed, drug use, alcohol consumption, and adult personality traits in a sample with a low probability of life course persistent criminal behaviors. The main objective of this study is to better inform mental health professionals working with adolescent populations. A retrospective questionnaire and the NEO-FFI (Five Factor Inventory), a measure of the big five personality traits, were administered to a volunteer sample (N=36). Three different frequencies of criminal acts committed (no-crimes, moderate-crimes, and substantial-crimes) were analysed based on adult personality traits, adolescent drug use, and adolescent alcohol use. The results of a MANOVA and discriminant analysis support the likelihood of groupings based on criminal acts committed being significantly influenced by drug use and alcohol use. Furthermore, agreeableness personality traits were significantly lower in the moderate-crimes group compared to the no-crimes group. The significance of these findings for professionals working with adolescents is discussed.