The role of attachment to parents and peers, and psychological self-alienation in predicting adolescent's vandalistic behaviors

The present study aimed to examine the role of parents and peer’s attachment, and psychological self-alienation in predicting vandalistic behaviors in high school students. 320applicants (176 females and 144 males) were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling in the third grade of high school. The Psychological Self-alienation Questionnaire (Seeman, 1959), Vandalistic Behaviors Questionnaire and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) were employed. The analyses of the data indicated that dimensions of psychological self-alienation, attachment quality and vandalistic behaviors were significantly related. Also, stepwise regression represented that psychological self-alienation and attachment quality could successfully predict vandalistic behaviors in adolescents. It can be concluded that psychological self-alienation and attachment quality to parents and peers would play a crucial role in examining adolescents’ vandalistic behaviors. So the emphasis on creating an atmosphere of sentiment, confidence, affection, and intimacy is very crucial in the process of growth and maturation of student’s. It is an essential step for both the parent’s and the school headmasters.