A MULTIVARIATE ASSESSMENT OF A RISK MODEL FOR JUVENILE-DELINQUENCY WITH AN UNDER 12 OFFENDER SAMPLE

The predictive validity of a hypothesized model of five factors associ ated with thr development of juvenile delinquency was evaluated with 6 8 children, ages 6 to 11 years, referred for treatment to a clinic fur delinquent behavior. Indicators fur the predictors were obtained from information identified in the children's clinical files. The criterio n measure, collected from parents 10 months after the pretreatment scr eening, was thr t-score on the Delinquent scale of the Child Behavior Checklist. A stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that agre ssiveness and variety of conduct problems accounted for 31% of the var iance in delinquent behavior and had the highest relative improvement over chance (RIOC) values. The findings are discussed in terms of prac tical and policy implications for the early identification of children and youth and the development of early intervention and prevention pr ograms to address the problem of juvenile delinquency.