Citation

Zhang L, Welte JW, Wieczorek WF. Crim. Justice Behav. 2002; 29(2): 161-182.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0093854802029002003

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Buffalo Longitudinal Study of Young Men was used to address the possibility of a common factor underlying adolescent problem behaviors. First, a measurement model with a single first-order factor was compared to a model with three separate correlated first-order factors. The three-factor model was better supported, making it logical to conduct a second-order factor analysis, which confirmed the logic. Second, a substantive model was estimated in each of two waves with psychopathic state as the common factor predicting drinking, drug use, and delinquency. Psychopathic state was stable across waves. The theory that a single latent variable accounts for large covariance among adolescent problem behaviors was supported.

Keywords: Juvenile justice

Language: en