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Attitude Toward Delinquency – Pittsburgh Youth Study
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About Attitude Toward Delinquency – Pittsburgh Youth Study
Scale Name
Attitude Toward Delinquency – Pittsburgh Youth Study
Author Details
Rolf Loeber, David P. Farrington, Magda Stouthamer-Loeber, and Welmoet B. Van Kammen
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Attitude Toward Delinquency scale, developed as part of the Pittsburgh Youth Study (PYS) by Rolf Loeber, David P. Farrington, Magda Stouthamer-Loeber, and Welmoet B. Van Kammen in 1998, is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure male students’ acceptance of engaging in delinquent behaviors. The PYS, initiated in 1986 by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, is a longitudinal study tracking antisocial and delinquent behavior from childhood to early adulthood among boys in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The scale targets males initially in grades 1, 4, and 7 during the 1987-1988 school year, followed into adulthood, to explore attitudes that may predict delinquent outcomes.
The scale comprises 10 items assessing how wrong respondents believe it is to engage in specific delinquent acts, such as stealing, cheating, vandalism, joyriding, hitting, or attacking someone with a weapon. Responses are rated on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = “very wrong” to 4 = “not wrong at all”), with higher scores indicating greater acceptance of delinquency. The total score ranges from 10 to 40. Examples include: “How wrong is it to cheat on a test or schoolwork?” and “How wrong is it to hit someone with the idea of hurting that person?” The scale’s focus on attitudes toward deviance makes it valuable for identifying cognitive risk factors for delinquency, complementing behavioral measures in the PYS.
Psychologists, criminologists, and educators use this tool to study the development of antisocial behavior, inform prevention programs, and evaluate interventions like mentoring or family therapy. Its high internal consistency and longitudinal validation in a diverse urban sample enhance its research utility, though its English-only availability and male-specific design limit broader application.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the Attitude Toward Delinquency scale from the PYS publications, such as Loeber et al. (1998), Antisocial Behavior and Mental Health Problems, or authorized archives like ICPSR, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses attitudes toward delinquent behaviors to understand risk factors, emphasizing confidentiality.
- Provide instructions, asking respondents to rate each of the 10 items based on how wrong they believe the described behaviors are, using the 4-point scale, typically reflecting current attitudes.
- Approximate time for completion is about 5-7 minutes, given its concise format.
- Administer in a classroom, research lab, or interview setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment to encourage honest responses.
Reliability and Validity
The Attitude Toward Delinquency scale demonstrates strong psychometric properties. Internal consistency is excellent, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.91, indicating high item cohesion. Test-retest reliability is not explicitly reported but is inferred to be adequate based on its use in the longitudinal PYS, which maintained high participant retention (mean = 91%).
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as self-reported delinquency and conduct problems (r ≈ 0.50-0.70), and its association with risk factors like peer deviance and poor parental supervision. Discriminant validity is evidenced by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, such as internalizing problems (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict delinquent outcomes, including serious and violent offending, as shown in PYS findings. Factor analyses confirm a unidimensional structure, reinforcing its focus on delinquency acceptance. These properties, as reported in Loeber et al. (1998), affirm the scale’s robustness for research in developmental criminology.
Available Versions
11-Items
Reference
Loeber, R., Farrington, D. P., Stouthamer-Loeber, M., & Van Kammen, W. B. (1998). Antisocial behavior and mental health problems: Explanatory factors in childhood and adolescence. Psychology Press.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Attitude Toward Delinquency scale measure?
It measures acceptance of engaging in delinquent behaviors.
Who can use the scale?
Researchers, psychologists, and criminologists studying youth delinquency.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 5-7 minutes.
Is the scale specific to males?
Yes, it was designed for male students in the PYS.
Can the scale predict delinquent behavior?
Yes, it’s strongly associated with serious and violent offending.
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