Delinquency,Peer Pressure,and Substance Abuse - Essay Example

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Please enjoy your comprehensively edited document. Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between delinquency and adolescent substance abuse and the role that the interaction of peer pressure plays and which of these is most influential. The population sample will consist of 300 students from grades 9 to 12. All participants will be required to report on the extent of their own substance abuse, and peers will report on the quality of the relationship between the target participant and themselves. This will provide a greater insight into how the participants view themselves. The hypothesis is that delinquency and adolescent substance abuse is strongly correlated, one to the other, in the developmental stage, therefore, one causes the other to happen. Furthermore, another hypothesis is that delinquency will be positively correlated and influenced by the delinquency and substance abuses of peers. If the results are as predicted, researchers can then determine which variable has the most influence when it comes to the substance abuse of adolescents. Examination of the Relationship of Delinquency and Peer Pressure to Adolescent Substance Abuse Introduction According to King et al. (2004), delinquent behaviors, such as violence and vandalism, are strong positive predictors of substance abuse among teens (King, Iacono, and McGue, 2004). Delinquency often precedes the onset of substance abuse (Kandel and Davies, 1992) and evidence suggests that the casual direction of influence flows primarily from delinquency to substance abuse (Mason & Windle, 2002). These findings are all consistent with Erikson's developmental theory, which claims that delinquency and antisocial behavior provides an important pathway leading to the development of substance abuse and dependence during the developmental stage of adolescent, identity versus identity confusion. Criminal behavior and low grade point averages have also been associated with adolescent substance abuse. Although much research has been conducted regarding the relationship of substance abuse to adolescent delinquency, there is still no definitive answer or study that has pinpointed the true cause. Without this, there can be no absolute solution to the problem; therefore, the study I am proposing will investigate the simultaneous relationship between the development of adolescent substance use, delinquency, and peer pressure, in the hope that I will be able to create a valid theory with a solid answer to the problem along with recommendations for prevention. Identity Confusion and Adolescence According to Erikson, adolescence is the age during which people must set up an identity to escape identity diffusion and confusion. This theory details the changes that an individual goes through during the stage of adolescents. This is the time when teenagers question who they are, which can lead them to begin depending on their peers for insight, and, in turn, can lead to delinquency. Adolescents struggle to attain a sense of identity and to find an answer to the question "who am I", however, identity confusion occurs if a coherent identity cannot be achieved in a reasonable time. According to Bacho, Dunham, Kidwell, Pastorino, and Portes (1995), Erikson wrote that accompanying the adolescent identity crisis is: subjective discomfort, confusion, mood swings, ego defenses, impulsivity, acting-out, and heightened physical and somatic complaints (citing Erikson, 1956, 1963, 1968; Bacho et al., p. 785)for Erikson (1968), the self in transition is vulnerable: "Each stage becomes a crisis because incipient growth and awareness in a significant part function goes together with the shift in instinctual energy and yet causes specific vulnerability in that part" (citing Erikson, 1959, p. 56; Bacho et al., p.785). Under such a challenge, the experience is one of a "... split of self images, a loss of center, and a dispersion" (citing Erikson, 1968; p. 785). These symptoms and the experience of the self as "disrupted" have been described as the "... dark and negative side of identity formation," and they are viewed as vital to the identity process (citing Erikson, 1975; p. 785). (Bacho et al., 1995). What Erikson has described is a very vulnerable time for the adolescent in which they may be confused, and conflicted. In turn, this "crisis" can lead to experimenting with chemical substances and delinquency. " Erikson (1968; Bacho et al.) has stressed the need for supportive interactions with significant others in order to provide strength during phases of ego destructuring". If the results of the present study are sustained and elaborated, they will be helpful in guiding adolescents, their parents, and others in sophisticated patterns of support in sustaining positive gains in identity. Another undesirable resolution of the identity crisis is the development of a negative identity that is based on undesirable roles in society, such as the adolescent identifying with a juvenile delinquent and/or a substance abuser (Cloninger, 2004). The identity crisis, along with peer pressure may induce an adolescent to turn to drugs as mode of acceptance in his or her social group. Drinking and drug offences by adolescents between the ages of fourteen and sixteen years have drastically increased. Drugs may grant momentary relief from identity pain and confusion, but in addition to the drug offence, the potential for other offences can become unleashed (Gay, 1975). Research demonstrates that regular substance abuse by adolescents can be the first step in an escalation toward substance abuse (Ellickson, Hays, and Bell, 1992). Additionally, the emergence of delinquency in the developmental stages of adolescence is also when the onset of delinquency takes place, ranging from less serious acts, such as shoplifting, to more serious acts, such as burglary and aggravated assault (Elliott et al., 1989; Loeber and Farrington, 1998). Delinquency and Substance Abuse It has become increasingly clear that processes such as substance abuse and delinquency may be related to one another and occurs simultaneously during the developmental stage. Despite ambiguity about the direction of the relationship between substance abuse and delinquency (Wagner, 1996), delinquent youths tend to be more involved in drug use than nondelinquent youths. Indeed, many justice-involved youths use substances on a "regular" basis (Feucht, Stephens, and Walker, 1994), some of them have heavy usage levels and substance abuse disorders (Teplin, Abram, McClelland, Dulcan, and Mericle, 2002). Alternatively, it must be noted that there are delinquents that do not use substances, and many young people who use substances do not engage in delinquent acts (Wagner and Kassel, 1995). Using a latent variable and structural equations modeling approach, Mason and Windle (2002) noted that the direct affect of delinquency on substance abuse was small but consistent over time, whereas the direct affect of substance abuse on delinquency was larger, but only at earlier measurement occasions. There are several possible explanations for why substance abuse and delinquency might be observed. First, substance abuse and delinquency may both be independent functions of maturation, so that the two behaviors are not related and are simply tracking together in the developmental stage of adolescence. Second, some research has shown an association between delinquency and substance abuse where the onset of delinquency coincided with or preceded the onset of substance abuse disorders. Additionally, there are several other studies showing that early onset of substance abuse predicts later delinquency (Keenan et al., 1999). Longitudinal analyses of some samples indicate substantial continuity in relations between substance use and delinquency, with significant reciprocal influences between substance use and delinquency across the span of adolescence that function to maintain each behavior (Loeber, Stouthamer-Loeber, and White, 1999). Criminal Behavior and Substance Abuse Some research shows evidence of a co-occurrence of juvenile offending and substance abuse. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (NCASA) (2002), involvement with drugs or alcohol increases the likelihood of continued and serious contact with the juvenile justice system (Welte, Barnes, Hoffman, Wieczorek, and Zhang, 2005). Some studies also suggest that substance abuse, particularly heavy drug and alcohol abuse, and offending have contemporaneous relationships (Horney, Osgood, and Marshall, 1995; Welte, Barnes, Hoffman, Wieczorek, and Zhang, 2005), even when controlling for personality characteristics, parental monitoring, and delinquent peer association. Although there is significant co-occurrence between juvenile offending and substance abuse, serious threats to adolescent morbidity and mortality are more likely to occur among adolescents demonstrating high levels of both behaviors, such as juvenile offenders who report multiple problems (Loeber and Farrington, 1998; Loeber, R., Stouthamer-Loeber, M., and White, H. R., 1999). In addition, in comparison with their non-offending counterparts, delinquent youth are more substance-involved and use substances at earlier ages. Significant predictive relations are documented consistently between early substance abuse and delinquency, along with their escalation to include violent and serious delinquency (Lipsey and Derzon, 1998,). The earlier the age of onset of substance abuse, the greater the likelihood of severe and chronic offending (Loeber, Green, Lahey, Frick, and McBurnett, 2000). Furthermore, higher levels of involvement with substance abuse increase the rate of offending, the severity of the committed offense, and the duration of antisocial behavior (Lipsey and Derzon, 1998). Academics and Substance Abuse Grade point average has been inversely related to substance abuse in adolescence, however, "academically successful students also may be heavy drug users" (Cho, Hallfors, Iritani, Khatapoush, Saxe, & Vevea, 2002, p. 207). Nonetheless, in cross populations of youths, whether in the inner city or affluent neighborhoods, studies have indicated that a higher grade point average is associated with no or low drug use and vice versa (Cho, et al., 2002). Additionally, declining academic achievement has been shown to be related to escalating emotional distress (Crosnoe et al., 2004), future alcohol dependence, smoking, and criminal activity involvement (Ellickson et al., 2003), and psychiatric problems such as anxiety and disruptive behavior disorders (King and McGue, M. (2004). Despite the fact that substance abuse and delinquency might be observed together, the two processes can be independent functions that are simply occurring during the same age range. Furthermore, whether or not a child excels in academics does not appear to be the strongest indicator of substance abuse or any type of delinquent behavior, and cannot therefore be relied upon as an independent factor. Affects of Peer Pressure on Adolescent's According to Cloninger (2004), peer pressure is one of the factors that influence the adolescent's psychological development. During this developmental stage, adolescence gives much weight to their friends who tend to have an influence over them. This phenomenon is called "peer pressure." Research has found that peers have a more powerful influence on adolescents, especially when concerning behavior (Pollard, Hawkins, 1999). Researchers have surmised that the role of peers is more important during the teenage years, because youths become interested in "finding themselves", as they try hard to find their identity. This stage of adolescence is known as "identity versus identity confusion" in Erikson's Theory of Identity Development. Unfortunately, peer pressure has more negative effects than it has positive ones, all of which influence adolescent development. Drug abuse is an illustration of the dangerous negative effects that peer pressure has on adolescence. Santor et a. (2000) showed that adolescents get their self-esteem from the group they belong to, and that they cannot imagine themselves outside of that gathering. Peers can also influence substance abuse via the adolescent modeling the peer's behavior, promoting attitudes that encourage use, and exerting pressure to use drugs (Ary et all, 1993). According to Elliott, D (1989), the cause of overusing substances among peers is centered on the fact that "everyone else is using". Santor et al. (2000) found that two types of peer influence were at work with students and the chances of them using substances: internal and external. The former is the desire to be popular and to fit in, which is internalized, yet was found to be less of a risk factor than the latter, external peer pressure, which is actually being pressured by peers to act a certain way. In addition, the teenage population uses substances much as adults do - for peer acceptance in some cases, and in others, to reduce social inhibitions for high-risk opportunities, such as sexual activity (Pollard, Hawkins 1999). Nearly all researchers agree that an individual is more likely to show delinquent behaviors when his or her peers engage in such activities. Several studies have found a consistent relationship between involvement in a delinquent peer group and delinquent behavior. Lipsey and Derzon (1998) noted that for youth ages 12-14, a key variable for delinquency is the presence of antisocial peers. According to McCord (2001), "Factors such as peer delinquent behavior, peer approval of delinquent behavior, attachment or allegiance to peers, time spent with peers, and peer pressure for deviance have all been associated with adolescent antisocial behavior." The influence of peers and their acceptance of delinquent behavior are significant, and this relationship is magnified when youth have little interaction with their parents (Steinberg, 1987). If parents are effective in monitoring their children's behavior, this becomes the most important factor as to whether adolescents will engage in high risk delinquent behaviors including substance abuse. Therefore, whether their peers negatively influence a child is largely a function of their parents (Horn, 1999, p. 1). Conclusion In conclusion, reference to psychosocial developmental theory, substance abuse and delinquency can prevent an adolescent from completing the developmental tasks of adolescence, such as dating, marrying, bearing and raising children, establishing a career, and building rewarding personal relationships (Newcomb and Bentler, 1989). Because substance abuse changes the way people approach and experience interactions, the adolescent's psychological and social development is compromised, as is the formation of a strong self-identity. Instead of developing a sense of empowerment from healthy personal development, the substance-abusing adolescent is likely to acquire a superficial and false self-image as he becomes more deeply entrenched in the drug experience (Vulcano et al, 1990). Several studies have identified peer pressure as a key factor in adolescent substance abuse and delinquency behaviors (Dupre et al., 1995; Farrell & White, 1998), however, I plan to delve into this issue more deeply with the present study. Finally, substance abuse and delinquency among early adolescents is particularly problematic because early initiation is predictive of increased use and more serious patterns of use in later stages of development (Harford and Muthn, 2002). Initiation of illicit substance use before the mid-teens is also associated with later delinquency and antisocial problems (Robins, Helzer, and Przybeck, 1986). Identification of the factors associated with delinquency and drug use in early adolescence may thus provide important information about children who are at increased risk for further problems in later developmental stages (Wagner, 1996). If such children can be identified early through certain behaviors, substance abuse may be prevented altogether for these children. Even with all the research that has been conducted, there is still not a definitive answer with regard to the relationship between delinquency and adolescent substance abuse. If no definitive answer exists, there can be no true solution to the problem of adolescent substance abuse until further studies are conducted to find an answer to this most important issue. According to Howard A. Liddle (2001), "The diverse nature of the studies being done has resulted in an explosion of information in the field. Data is available on many fronts and the challenge is to organize and apply the knowledge in a way that has a direct bearing on outcomes" (At Health, 2001). Therefore, the present study will investigate the simultaneous relationship between the development of adolescent substance use, delinquency, and peer pressure. It will look at how changes in substance abuse and/or delinquency are related to changes in behavior, or how such changes can be predicted. Peer pressure of direct, indirect, and interactive relation to delinquency and substance abuse is also taken into consideration. The present study was guided by two primary purposes: to explore the relationship between the development of delinquency in relation to adolescent substance abuse; and the relationship of peer pressure to delinquency and adolescent substance abuse. Three hypotheses exist in this study: 1) delinquency and adolescent substance abuse are strongly correlated and related to each; 2) delinquent behavior is influenced by peer pressure; 3) adolescent substance abuse is heavily influenced by peer pressure. Therefore, it can be surmised that the three variables coincide with each other, ultimately leading to substance abuse. Once this is determined recommendations for prevention can be assessed and implemented. Method Participants Participants will consist of 150 males and 150 females from coeducational Australian State high schools and Catholic high schools. These participants will be drawn from classes in Grades 9 to 12. The schools are located in Southeast Queensland, and this area was chosen because it includes families from a diverse range of socioeconomic levels and ethnic backgrounds. Drawing from a diverse population will validate the study's goal of gathering data from a wide cross section of adolescents. All adolescents will participate voluntarily and anonymity will be maintained. I will obtain informed consent from parents or legal guardians if needed, and I will use an incentive to motivate students to get the informed consent papers signed. Design Data will be collected by questionnaire surveys given to each participant. Regression analysis will be used to decide which of the three predictors is relevant: delinquency and substance abuse, and vice-versa, along with delinquency and peer pressure. This will also determine the relationship between different variables. Material The same variables as above will be used to measure self-reported substance abuse of the target participant and peers. First, the Self-Report Delinquency Scale (Mak, 1993) contains 34 "yes" and "no" items. It canvasses behaviors that range from less serious to very serious delinquent acts, including vehicle offenses, theft, status offenses, breaking and entering, vandalism, assault, sexual offenses, substance abuse, and making abusive or deceitful phone calls. Subjects will also indicate whether they have received a warning from the police or appeared in children's court. Second, the Personal Experience Screening Questionnaire (PESQ) is a 38-item self-report instrument designed to assess substance abuse and associated problems. Third, Peer Supportiveness (Jessor and Jessor, 1977), and the Intimacy Scale (Walker and Thompson, 1983) will be used to assess the target and each peer reported on the quality of the dyadic relationship. Each questionnaire will then be evaluated accordingly. Procedure Participants will be recruited through sign-up sheets. Upon agreement, they will be given a participation letter to read and a consent form that is to be signed. They will then be briefed on the general objectives of the questionnaire. All participants will report on the extent of their own substance abuse, and peers will report on the quality of the relationship between the target participant and themselves. After the participants complete the questionnaire, they will be told that their identities are anonymous and their answers will contribute to the result of the study. Participants will then be thanked upon completion of the task. Results All data obtained will be entered into a computer program for detailed analysis using the SPSS system. The results will contain the relationship between the three variables. For example, with the help of regression analysis, it may be found that between delinquency and substance abuse, adolescence played the bigger part, as opposed to delinquency having the overall affect. Discussion The results of this study will be restated and evaluated in light of the initial hypothesis. If the results are as predicted, researchers can then determine which variable has the most influence when it comes to the substance abuse of adolescents. Further, discussion will be made that examines how the results relate to previous research and to the theoretical issues discussed in the introduction. Limitations of the current research will be identified along with suggestions for how future research can build upon the findings of the current study. References Ary, D. V., Tildesley, E., Hops, H., & Andrews, J. (1993). The Influence of Parent, Sibling, and Peer Modeling and Attitudes on Adolescent Use of Alcohol. The International Journal of the Addictions, 28, 853-880. Retrieved April 25, 2007 from psycArticle database. Bacho, Roderick A., & Dunham, Richard M., & Kidwell, Jeannie S., & Pastorino, Ellen, & Portes, Pedro R. (1995). Adolescent Identity Exploration: A Test of Erikson's Theory of Transitional Crisis. Adolescence, 30(120), 785-789. 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