Deviant identity as a moderator of the relation between negative self-feelings and deviant behavior

Informed by a general theory of deviant behavior it was hypothesized that t he positive effect of negative self-feelings on later deviant behavior woul d be observed only for youth who are nor characterized by a deviant identit y. Data from a panel of youths tested during early adolescence and retested 3 years later (N = 1,041) were used to estimate structural equations model s. As hypothesized, for youths without a deviant identity, negative self-fe elings had both direct and indirect (via contemporary deviant behavior) pos itive effects on later deviant behavior For youths characterized by deviant identities, however no overall effect of negative self-feelings on deviant behavior was observed due to the operation of countervailing effects. Coun tering the indirect positive effects of negative self-feelings (presumably reflecting alienation from the conventional order) were inverse direct effe cts of negative self-feelings on later deviant behavior (presumably reflect ing alienation from the deviant identity stemming from its association with concomitant negative self-feelings).