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Friends’ Delinquent Behavior – Peer Deviancy Scale
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About Friends’ Delinquent Behavior – Peer Deviancy Scale
Scale Name
Friends’ Delinquent Behavior – Peer Deviancy Scale
Author Details
Multisite Violence Prevention Project (2004), adapted from Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (2000)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Friends’ Delinquent Behavior – Peer Deviancy Scale, developed by the Multisite Violence Prevention Project (MVPP) in 2004 and adapted from the Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (2000), is a dual-reporter questionnaire designed to measure youth reports of their friends’ involvement in delinquent activity and parents’ perceptions of their child’s friends and their involvement in delinquent activity. Targeting middle school students in grades 6-8 (ages 11-14) and their parents, the scale was used in MVPP studies to evaluate violence prevention interventions in urban settings, as published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine (MVPP, 2004). Grounded in social learning theory (Akers, 1977) and ecological models, it assesses peer delinquency as a risk factor for youth problem behaviors.
The scale comprises parallel sets of items (exact number not specified, likely 8-12 per reporter) rated on a frequency or proportion scale (e.g., 1 = “none” to 5 = “all” for youth; similar for parents), assessing delinquent acts by friends, such as fighting, stealing, or drug use (e.g., “How many of your friends have gotten into fights?” or “Do your child’s friends skip school?”). Scores are summed or averaged per reporter, with higher scores indicating greater perceived peer delinquency. Validated in diverse urban samples, it is used to study peer influences, inform interventions, and compare youth and parent perspectives.
Psychologists, educators, and violence prevention researchers use the scale to assess peer delinquency, evaluate program outcomes, and explore parent-youth discrepancies. Its dual-reporter design and high internal consistency are strengths, though its English-only availability and specific age focus may limit broader application.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the scale from primary sources, such as MVPP (2004) in American Journal of Preventive Medicine (Vol. 26, pp. 7-14) or Dahlberg et al. (2005) Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences Among Youths (p. 122, available at http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf), ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses friends’ behaviors (for youth) or perceptions of child’s friends (for parents) to support positive development, emphasizing confidentiality and using age-appropriate language.
- Provide instructions, asking youth to rate the proportion or frequency of their friends’ delinquent acts and parents to rate their perceptions of their child’s friends’ behaviors, using the respective scales.
- Approximate time for completion is 3-5 minutes per reporter, depending on the number of items and reading ability.
- Administer in a school or research setting for youth and via survey or interview for parents, using paper or digital formats, ensuring privacy. Oral administration may be used for low-literacy respondents.
Reliability and Validity
The Peer Deviancy Scale demonstrates strong psychometric properties, as reported in MVPP (2004). Internal consistency is high, with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.85 for youth reports and 0.84 for parent reports, indicating excellent item cohesion for both versions. Test-retest reliability is not reported, but stability is inferred to be moderate to high based on similar peer delinquency measures (r ≈ 0.65-0.80 over weeks).
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as youth delinquency (r ≈ 0.40-0.60 for youth reports) and parenting practices (r ≈ 0.30-0.50 for parent reports). Discriminant validity is inferred from weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, like academic performance (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict youth problem behaviors and detect intervention effects in MVPP studies. Factor analyses are not detailed, but the scale’s unidimensional structure per reporter supports construct validity. The high reliability makes it robust, though integrating both youth and parent reports enhances accuracy.
Available Versions
10-Items
Reference
Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B., Swahn, M. H., & Behrens, C. B. (2005). Measuring violence-related attitudes, behaviors, and influences among youths: A compendium of assessment tools. Centers for disease control and prevention.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Peer Deviancy Scale measure?
It measures youth and parent reports of friends’ delinquent activity.
Who can use the scale?
Psychologists, educators, and researchers studying middle school students and parents.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 3-5 minutes per reporter.
Is the scale specific to certain groups?
It targets grades 6-8 and their parents in urban settings.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, it identifies peer risks with high reliability (α = 0.84-0.85).
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