The Contribution of Sensation Seeking and the Big Five Personality Factors to Different Types of Delinquency

The present study examined the role of sensation seeking (SS) in different types of delinquent behavior across sex, controlling for the Big Five personality dimensions. The sample of Croatian adolescents comprised 117 boys and 137 girls. As predicted, SS was the central explanatory variable beyond t...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Authors: Ljubin-Golub, Tajana (Author) ; Pandžić, Mario (Author) ; Vrselja, Ivana (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: [2017]
In: Criminal justice and behavior
Year: 2017, Volume: 44, Issue: 11, Pages: 1518-1536
Online Access: Volltext (Resolving-System)
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Personality
Big Five
Sensation seeking
Delinquency
Sex difference
Description
Summary:The present study examined the role of sensation seeking (SS) in different types of delinquent behavior across sex, controlling for the Big Five personality dimensions. The sample of Croatian adolescents comprised 117 boys and 137 girls. As predicted, SS was the central explanatory variable beyond the Big Five dimensions in both the boys’ and girls’ normative antisocial behavior, minor delinquency, and overall delinquency. In only the girls, SS was also a risk factor for serious and violent delinquency along with extraversion and emotional instability. In both sexes, the explanatory power of SS decreased as the severity of the offenses increased. The results underscore the significance of SS in normative and minor types of adolescent delinquency and indicate a different etiology of normative adolescent delinquency from severe and violent delinquency. The results also suggest a different constellation of personality risk factors for boys and girls for each different type of delinquency.
ISSN:1552-3594
DOI:10.1177/0093854817730589