Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Girls' Self-Perception of Reputation and Delinquent Involvement

2005; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 12; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/02673843.2005.9747959

2164-4527

Sondra Smith‐Adcock, Jennifer L. Kerpelman,

Personality Traits and Psychology

ABSTRACT Explanations of girls' delinquency traditionally have emphasized individual and family dysfunction. Though recent explanations have emerged that promote less pathological views of girls' delinquency, there are still commonly held views that girls who are delinquent are anomalous. The current study examined reputation theory as a psychosocial explanation of girls' delinquent behavior. Reputation theory suggests that social bonds to others influence delinquent behavior indirectly through adolescent reputation choices. In this study, girls' social bonds and self-perception of reputation were related to minor and serious delinquent behavior. Bonds to father and to school were the most influential social bonds. This study also found that reputation beliefs mediate the relationship between social bonds and girls' offending. In general, reputation theory was supported by the findings of this study. These findings contribute to the emerging body of literature that portrays girls in more control of their reputation and behavior choices, than once believed.