The Relationship of Psychological Disorders and Socioeconomic Factors with Juvenile Delinquency

Delinquency means occurring actions or behaviors that are against the rules and values of a community. It is believed that knowing factors related to delinquency is the most effective issue for crime prevention. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of psychological disorders and socioeconomic factors with the juvenile delinquency.
This case-control study was conducted on 88 young (44 young offenders residing in the correction and rehabilitation center and 44 high-school teenagers aged between 15-18 years). Information on demographic, familial, and socioeconomic factors were collected by a self-made questionnaire and psychological data was gathered using attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD), anxiety, and depression questionnaires. Data was analyzed using chi-square test.
Findings: Psychological disorders including anxiety (P Psychological disorders, familial factors, cultural level, and socioeconomic status were associated with juvenile delinquency. In addition to these factors, individual behaviors such as drug abuse and anxiety were very important factors in occurrence of juvenile delinquency and appropriate interventions in this issue are recommended.