“Soldiers of the Same Struggle”: A Comparison of Attachment and Personality Between Justice-involved Youth in Gangs and Not in Gangs

Author

Lyndsey Keyte, University of DenverFollow

Date of Award

2021

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D.

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Apryl A. Alexander

Second Advisor

Kimberly Gorgens

Third Advisor

David Pyrooz

Keywords

Forensics, Adolescents, Gangs, Attachment, Personality, Juvenile delinquency

Abstract

Risk factors for juvenile delinquency and gang membership are essentially identical, although only a certain subset of justice-involved youth join gangs. In an attempt to identify factors that differentiate justice-involved youth in gangs from justice-involved youth not in gangs, the present study compared attachment styles and personality traits of 406 detained justice-involved youth, 154 of whom were gang-involved and 252 of whom were not. Results showed no significant differences in personality traits or attachment styles between justice-involved youth in gangs and not in gangs. However, results demonstrated attachment styles and personality traits characteristic of both groups of justice-involved youth.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Extent

44 pgs

Recommended Citation

Keyte, Lyndsey, "“Soldiers of the Same Struggle”: A Comparison of Attachment and Personality Between Justice-involved Youth in Gangs and Not in Gangs" (2021). Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects. 434.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/capstone_masters/434