Cognitive characteristics of subgroups of juvenile delinquents

Cognitive therapy methods have been applied to the treatment of behaviors and disorders related to delinquency; however, little is known about the cognitive characteristics of delinquent populations. Furthermore, little is known of how subgroups of juvenile offenders—such as those with aggressive behavior problems or internalizing symptoms—differ from each other cognitively. This study examined negative cognitixe triad, cognitive distortions, and attributional styles among 205 incarcerated juvenile offenders, ages 12 to 18 (155 males, 50 females). The youth and their parents completed measures of internalizing and externalizing behavior, and the youth completed four selfreport cognitive measures.

The study examined: (1) cognitive variables associated with externalizing behaviors, (2) cognitive differences between aggressive and nonaggressive delinquents, and (3) cognitive differences between delinquents with and without significant internalizing symptoms. In addition, confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were conducted with four cognitive measures to identify underlying cognitive constructs.

Cognitive errors of overgeneralizing and selective abstraction were positively associated with self-reported externalizing behavior among juvenile delinquents. Catastrophizing errors were negatively associated with externalizing behavior. Externalizing behavior was also positively associated with self-centered cognitive distortions. An aggressive group of delinquents endorsed more negative beliefs about self and the world and reported more cognitive distortions of personalizing, overgeneralizing, selective abstraction, and catastrophizing than delinquents without significant aggressive behavior. However, after adjusting for internalizing symptoms, the aggressive group did not differ from the nonaggressive group in cognitive beliefs, cognitive distortions, or attributional style. Participants with significant internalizing symptoms demonstrated a more negative cognitive triad, more cognitive distortions, and a more negative attributional style than participants without significant internalizing symptoms. Factor analyses supported a three-factor solution related to Negative Cognitive Errors, Self serving Cognitive Errors, and Beliefs. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.