The relationship between delinquents' potency to tolerate depression and social networks for a desistance from delinquency

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between depression tolerance or social network and desistance from delinquency. Questionnaires assessing depression tolerance and social network were administered to 110 boys (age range: 14 to 19 years, mean: 16.6 years, SD: 1.48) in a juvenile classification home. Factor analysis revealed that the depression tolerance consisted of three factors; isolation tolerance, anxiety tolerance, and self-disclosure. When first timers were compared with repeaters, the former tended to demonstrate more positive self-disclosure and to feel more parental support. However, such a relationship was not observed in isolation tolerance and anxiety tolerance. These results indicate that the interaction between the self-disclosure shown by these boys and the support from their parents and others seem to facilitate desistance from delinquency. The process of this interaction needs to be further clarified in the future.