Neuropsychological differences between juvenile delinquents and functional adolescents: a preliminary study

This study examines the neuropsychological differences between juvenile delinquents and functional high school adolescents by means of the Bender-Gestalt test and the Luria Neuropsychological Investigation. Forty-one subjects were examined, twenty-eight delinquent subjects (15 female, 13 male, mean age 15.5 years) and thirteen control subjects (8 female, 5 male, mean age 15 years). Of the nine subtests in the Luria Battery, eight were found statistically significant, with cutaneous and kinesthetic functions being the only subtest which did not prove significant (greater than .025). Overall t analysis between the groups displayed significance at the .01 level. As was expected the delinquent group performed significantly higher on those functions requiring complex problem-solving and language abilities. On the Bender-Gestalt test of visio-motor abilities group, significance was displayed at the .05 level.