Personality factors of juvenile criminal behaviour

Introduction. The aim of the research is to establish significant relations between personal factors and delinquent/criminal behaviour of juveniles both imprisoned and who are in mass educational institutions, compare the results of our research with the results obtained by foreign researchers and find the way to apply them in pedagogical practice. Materials and Methods. Juvenile individual and psychological features were investigated through G. Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and R. Goodman questionnaire which are abridged forms of the Russian versions of original tools. Eysenck Personality Inventory is used to assess extroversion/introversion, neuroticism, psychoticism and dissimulation (EPQ; Hanin Y. еt al., 1991; Slobodskaya H. R. еt al., 2001). R. Goodman “Strong points and difficulties” questionnaire for teachers and juveniles (Goodman R., 1997; Goodman R. еt al., 1998) aims to reveal emotional problems, behavioural deviations, hyperactivity, problems with peers and prosocial behaviour. Torrance short test was employed to reveal juvenile creativity (adapted in Russia in 1991). 760 young men were questioned. The experimental group involved 217 young men from a correctional facility. The control group consisted of 543 respondents, including the students of mass schools, professional colleges and those recorded in juvenile delinquency departments. All the respondents were from 14 to 18 years old. Results and Discussion. Endogenous and exogenous factors of delinquency/criminality in their biological and social unity have been studied and revealed. The author managed to reveal personality risk factors of criminal behaviour: neuroticism (emotional instability), psychoticism (asocial proneness to conflict) as well as the defence factor - creativity as the general integral ability to create something new and original. Creativity has positive correlation with psychoticism and neuroticism. Conclusions. Pedagogical activity in a correctional facility focused on the development of juvenile natural creativity as the defence factor results in the reduced influence of neuroticism and psychoticism, correction of criminal behaviour and other behavioural disorders.