Attachment styles, friendship quality and loneliness in female juvenile delinquents
Date
2002
Authors
Nicol, Jill Suzanne
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Abstract
The importance of peer influence on juvenile crime is a well researched topic, however, few studies have explored the relationship between female juvenile crime and their attachment style. In order to examine the interpersonal relationships of female young offenders, this study investigated female young offenders and their attachments to their friends. Forty-six female young offenders incarcerated at four youth correctional centers in British Columbia and Alberta participated in the study. Participants completed the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA - Peer Scale), the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ; Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991), the Friendship Quality Questionnaire (FQQ; Parker & Asher, 1993), and the UCLA Loneliness Scale Revised (UCLA-R).
Female young offenders were also asked both to complete a demographic interview and to answer open-ended questions regarding friends and friendship. The results of the study indicated that female young offenders were more likely to identify themselves with insecure attachment styles, with the greatest number of females reporting a Fearful-Avoidant attachment style. Dismissive-Avoidant female young offenders experienced the lowest quality attachments and friendships. Fearful-Avoidant female young offenders experienced similar positive attachment quality and friendship quality characteristics as Secure female young offenders, however, Fearful-Avoidant females experienced the significantly higher loneliness and alienation when compared to both Secure and Dismissive-Avoidant participants. The results of this study suggest intervention strategies with female young offenders should focus on improving attachment to friends in order to improve friendship quality and decrease involvement in the criminal justice system.