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Delinquent Peers – Rochester Youth Development Study
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About Delinquent Peers – Rochester Youth Development Study
Scale Name
Delinquent Peers – Rochester Youth Development Study
Author Details
Terence P. Thornberry, Alan J. Lizotte, Marvin D. Krohn, Margaret Farnworth, and Sung Joon Jang
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Delinquent Peers – Rochester Youth Development Study scale, developed by Terence P. Thornberry, Alan J. Lizotte, Marvin D. Krohn, Margaret Farnworth, and Sung Joon Jang in 1994, is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure a youth’s report of how many of their friends are involved in delinquent activities. The scale is part of the Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS), a longitudinal study that began in 1988 with youths in grades 7-8 (ages 12-14) and followed them into adulthood. Published in Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency (Thornberry et al., 1994), the scale assesses peer delinquency, a key risk factor for youth problem behaviors, aligning with social learning theory (Akers, 1977) and differential association theory (Sutherland, 1947). It was used to examine the influence of delinquent peers on outcomes like violence, substance use, and criminality in a diverse urban sample.
The scale comprises 9 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = “none” to 5 = “all”), assessing the proportion of friends engaging in delinquent acts such as theft, vandalism, fighting, or drug use (e.g., “How many of your friends have stolen something worth more than $5?” or “How many of your friends have used marijuana?”). Scores are summed (range: 9-45), with higher scores indicating greater perceived peer delinquency. Validated in a sample including African-American, Hispanic, and White youth, it is used to study peer influences, predict delinquency trajectories, and inform prevention programs.
Criminologists, psychologists, and public health researchers use the scale to assess peer delinquency, evaluate intervention effectiveness, and explore social risk factors. Its high internal consistency and longitudinal design are strengths, though its English-only availability and focus on a specific cohort may limit generalizability.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the scale from primary sources, such as Thornberry et al. (1994) in Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency (Vol. 31, pp. 47-87) 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 to understand social influences, emphasizing confidentiality and using age-appropriate, non-judgmental language.
- Provide instructions, asking youths to rate the proportion of their friends involved in each delinquent act over the past year, using the 5-point scale.
- Approximate time for completion is 3-5 minutes, given its concise 9-item format.
- Administer in a school, community, or research setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment to promote honest responses. Oral administration may be used for respondents with reading difficulties.
Reliability and Validity
The Delinquent Peers scale demonstrates strong psychometric properties, as reported in Thornberry et al. (1994). Internal consistency is high, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.88, indicating excellent item cohesion for a 9-item scale. Test-retest reliability is not explicitly reported, but stability is inferred to be moderate to high based on similar peer delinquency measures (r ≈ 0.70-0.85 over months) in longitudinal RYDS data.
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as respondents’ own delinquency (r ≈ 0.40-0.60) and association with deviant peers, consistent with social learning theory. Discriminant validity is evidenced by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, like academic performance (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict delinquent outcomes, such as violence or drug use, in RYDS analyses. Factor analyses confirm a unidimensional structure, supporting construct validity. The high reliability makes it a robust tool, though self-report biases suggest pairing with multi-informant data (e.g., parent or teacher reports) for comprehensive assessment.
Available Versions
08-Items
Reference
Thornberry, T. P., Lizotte, A. J., Krohn, M. D., Farnworth, M., & Jang, S. J. (1994). Delinquent peers, beliefs, and delinquent behavior: A longitudinal test of interactional theory. Criminology, 32(1), 47-83.
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 Delinquent Peers Scale measure?
It measures youth reports of friends’ involvement in delinquent activities.
Who can use the scale?
Criminologists, psychologists, and researchers studying youth in grades 7-8 and beyond.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 3-5 minutes.
Is the scale specific to certain groups?
It targets urban youths initially in grades 7-8, followed into adulthood.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, it identifies peer risks with high reliability (α = 0.88).
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