Peer Status Among Incarcerated Female Offenders: Associations With Social Behavior and Adjustment |
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Authors: | Asha Goldweber Elizabeth Cauffman Antonius H N Cillessen |
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Institution: | 1. SRI International;2. University of California, Irvine;3. Radboud University Nijmegen |
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Abstract: | Peers are a powerful socializing force, especially during adolescence. Whether peer status holds the same meaning, correlates, and consequences for female offenders remains unknown. Using a peer nomination technique in a sample of incarcerated females (N = 86, age 15–24 years), our study is the first to examine the association between peer status and psychopathology in a correctional facility. Results indicated that a key indicator of likeability was prosocial behavior; popularity was related to leadership; and social impact was associated with aggression. Popularity might serve as a buffer against, and social impact as a risk factor for, psychosocial problems. Findings shed light on peer status as a mechanism underpinning female offenders' problem behaviors and an entry point for targeted interventions. |
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