PROTECTIVE AND RISK EFFECTS OF PEER RELATIONS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT ON ANTISOCIAL-BEHAVIOR IN ADOLESCENTS FROM MULTI-PROBLEM MILIEUS

This article addresses the relation between antisocial behaviour and s ocial resources in a 2-year longitudinal study of 100 high-risk adoles cents in residential care. Problem behaviour was measured with the Ext ernalizing Scale of the Youth Self Report. Social resources were recor ded using semi-structured methods. Hierarchical regression analyses sh owed interactions suggesting that the same variables can fulfil risk a s well as protective functions: clique membership and satisfaction wit h social support fostered behavioural continuity. In contrast, a lack of social embeddedness had a risk effect for well-adapted adolescents and a protective effect for the deviant ones. Social resources were mo re influential in girls. Theoretical implications and methodological p roblems are discussed. (C) 1997 The Association for Professionals in S ervices for Adolescents.