title: The role of delinquency, proactive aggression, psychopathy and behavioral school engagement in reported youth gang membership.
abstract: Given the robust positive association between gangs and crime, a better understanding of factors related to reported youth gang membership is critical and especially since youth in gangs are a universal concern. The present study investigated the role of delinquency, proactive aggression, psychopathy and behavioral school engagement in reported youth gang membership using a large sample of 1027 Singapore adolescents. Results from logistic regression showed that delinquency, proactive aggression, and behavioral school engagement were statistically significant risk factors for reported youth gang membership, and that psychopathy was not related to reported gang membership. Implications for prevention and intervention work with respect to youth gang membership were discussed. In particular, strengthening students' engagement with school and meaningful school-related activities and developing supportive teacher-student relationships are particularly important in working with young people with respect to prevention work. Additionally, the present study's theoretical and empirical contributions were also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Psychological Studies Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616, Singapore. Electronic address: rebecca.ang@nie.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Rebecca P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ang
authors.affiliation: Psychological Studies Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616, Singapore.
authors.forename: Vivien S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Huan
authors.affiliation: Psychological Studies Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616, Singapore.
authors.forename: Wei Teng
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore.
authors.forename: Siew Ann
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.affiliation: Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jia Ning
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Leaw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D003415:Crime / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D012933:Social Identification; D012945:Social Values; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Delinquency; Proactive aggression; Psychopathy; School engagement; Youth gang membership