This discussion is drawn from the writings of two eminent founders of strength-based approaches to troubled children and adolescents. August Aichhorn is best known for his classic book, "Wayward Youth," and Fritz Redl as co-author of "Children Who Hate". August Aichhorn and Anna Freud mentored a young educational psychologist, Fritz Redl…

The tendency to defy the world around them, to defy adults, a characteristic trait of adolescents who are members of groups that spend leisure time together, is manifested in a number of demonstrative characteristics of their behavior: symbols of independence such as a certain kind of clothing, jargon, and borrowing vocabulary from the criminal…

Several controversies surround differentiation between socially maladjusted and seriously emotionally disturbed. Central to controversy is interpretation of social maladjustment as restricted to include socialized aggressive and adjudicated delinquents or broadened to include Conduct Disorders, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and antisocial…

The evaluation of a juvenile diversion program by Quay and Love (1977) is criticized for employing follow-up periods of differing durations. A second article by Quay and Love responds to Mrad's suggestion that the experimental effect was due to a greater post-program exposure time for the control group. (LPG)

Delinquency intervention and research have undergone changes in recent years. One new line of research has been aimed at mapping out juvenile criminal careers. Findings from this research suggest that involvement in technically delinquent activity may be a transitory, developmental phenomenon related to adolescence. Youth appear to be increasingly…

The paper examines the causes of violent and other antisocial behavior in children. Considered are the effects of heredity and environment, and the nature and prevalence of learning disabilities in persons with antisocial behavior are noted. Effects of temperament and its relationship to stress are discussed. The author cites findings on potential…

Serious delinquent behavior may be part of a disabling and durable condition that consists of multiple antisocial and dysfunctional behaviors, often runs in families, and eludes effective short-term treatment. The socializing influence of long-term supportive family treatment is discussed as a therapeutic alternative. (Author/JW)

School crime may be a product of the organizational structure of the school. The negative, stigmatizing labeling of students contributes to school crime and produces poor (deviant) career decisions. Attempts to increase success rate of individual students must recognize the school's value systems and the origins of its stereotypes. (Author/GPM)

Considers the research in addressing how society should reasonably invest in the treatment of violent juvenile offenders. The authors first examine the problems of evaluating interventions with violent youth, then explore various intervention options. The use of multisystemic therapy is offered as a cost-effective program for reducing juvenile…

Explores the problem of urban violence, and discusses a research strategy that can help to explain this phenomenon. The author contends that research might best address violence if it was designed to include variables of poverty and racism and was more inclusive of research from a broader range of scientific disciplines. (GR)

Tested hypothesis that primary-influence processes in adolescent friendships are social interactional and that quality of friendship has little to do with development of delinquent behavior. Found that antisocial boys showed poor-quality friendships and low levels of relationship quality. (Author)

Examines the notion that heredity plays a powerful role in criminal behavior, including genetic evidence that can allow for antisocial behavior. Reviews suggestions for reversing rising crime rates in light of the hereditary connection, policy development, family cohesion, and child raising. (GR)

This document is an edited transcript of the addresses given at a symposium on violence at Brown University. The "Foreword" (Lewis P. Lipsitt) calls for better methodologies or "path analyses" to show the courses of development that conduce to criminal careers, family destruction, and community insouciance. Keynote speeches…

Studies have traced a possible link between patterns of family interaction, faulty socialization, child abuse, and delinquent behavior. Counselors can respond to the needs of society to reduce violence by their access to the research on human development and in their work with families and children. Some types of discipline and parental attitudes…

Examines data on the etiology of health-compromising behavior. Proposes a four-part model of adolescent problem behavior and a seven-part model for school-based intervention programs. Reviews and compares four successful innovative programs. Discusses implications of the model program for educational practice. (BC)