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Perspective-taking among offender and nonoffender youth
Adolescence
|January 1, 1983
Summary
Adolescent offenders and non-offenders showed similar social perspective-taking skills. This suggests developmental transitions may influence cognitive abilities in this age group.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Adolescent Social Cognition
Background:
- Social perspective-taking abilities vary among adolescents.
- The influence of offender status and sex on these abilities remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in perspective-taking between male and female adolescent offenders and non-offenders.
- To examine the impact of social roles on perspective-taking in youth.
Main Methods:
- Study included 117 adolescents (14-15 years old) from juvenile facilities and a high school.
- Perspective-taking was assessed using Rest's Defining Issue Test (DIT) across three roles: self, teacher, and police officer.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found in perspective-taking abilities between offender and non-offender youth.
- Gender did not appear to be a differentiating factor in perspective-taking skills in this cohort.
Conclusions:
- Younger adolescents may be in a transitional phase regarding social perspective-taking development.
- Further research is recommended to explore developmental trajectories in adolescent social cognition.