Description of the Questionnaire

The questionnaire “Friends’ Delinquent Behavior” (Friends’ Delinquent Behavior – Denver Youth Survey) was developed as part of the Denver Youth Survey (Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado, 1987). Its aim is to record the delinquent behavior of the friends of adolescents and young adults, and to investigate the influence that this behavior exerts on the respondents themselves. The questionnaire includes eight questions related to common forms of delinquent and risky behaviors among friends, such as property damage, physical violence, substance use, and involvement in fights.

Purpose

The main purpose of the questionnaire is to record the extent of delinquent behavior observed in the peer environment of young people, to examine the degree of influence that friends exert on adolescents’ own delinquent or risky behaviors, to contribute to the understanding of social mechanisms that reinforce or limit delinquency, and to provide data for the development of prevention and intervention programs.

Calibration

Responses are given on a five-point scale where the option “All of them” corresponds to a score of 4, “Most of them” to 3, “Some of them” to 2, “Very few of them” to 1, and “None of them” to 0. The values are summed and divided by the total number of questions, which is eight. The final score ranges from 0 to 4, with a higher score indicating greater association with delinquent behavior in the peer environment.

Data Analysis and Use

The data are used to study the relationship between peer associations and personal delinquency. They highlight the importance of friends’ social influence on the development of risky behaviors and are useful for the development of youth delinquency prevention policies, with emphasis on reducing the influence of delinquent role models. They are also applied in research and educational contexts for a better understanding of social networks and adolescent behavior.

Bibliography

Institute of Behavioral Sciences. Youth Interview Schedule: Denver Youth Survey. Boulder, CO: University of Colorado, 1987. Huizinga, D., & Elliott, D. S. (1986). Reassessing the Reliability and Validity of Self-Report Delinquency Measures. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 2(4), 293–327. Espelage, D. L., & Swearer, S. M. (2003). Research on Peer Influence in Bullying: Moving Beyond Correlates to Interventions. School Psychology Review, 32(3), 365–383. CDC (2004). Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences Among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools.