It's not what you say, it's how many different ways you can say it: Links between divergent peer resistance skills and delinquency a year later

Wright, A.Jordan; Nichols, Tracy R.; Graber, Julia A.; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Botvin, Gilbert J.

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2003.12.008

« Previous Next »Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 35, Issue 5 , Pages 380-391, November 2004

It's not what you say, it's how many different ways you can say it: Links between divergent peer resistance skills and delinquency a year later

A.Jordan Wright, M.S.
- National Center for Children and Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA (A.J.W., J.B.-G.)
- Address correspondence to: A. Jordan Wright, 525 West 120^th Street, Box 39, New York City, NY, 10027, USA.
Tracy R. Nichols, Ph.D.
- Institute for Prevention Research, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York, USA (T.R.N., G.J.B.)
Julia A. Graber, Ph.D.
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA (J.A.G.)
Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Ph.D.
- National Center for Children and Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA (A.J.W., J.B.-G.)
Gilbert J. Botvin, Ph.D.
- Institute for Prevention Research, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York, USA (T.R.N., G.J.B.)

Accepted 31 December 2003.

Abstract

Purpose

To examine whether generation of ‘socially appropriate’ responses or divergent responses to continued peer pressure is a more effective deterrent of actual delinquency.

Methods

The sample of 129 urban adolescents included both boys and girls (51.9% male) and was predominantly black (48.%) and Hispanic (28.7%). They were studied longitudinally from seventh to eighth grade in New York City from 2000–2001. Resistance strategies to offers to smoke and to shoplift were assessed in two separate videotaped role-plays. Socially appropriate responses were defined as assertive and nonaggressive, including the use of a simple no; direct, declarative statements; and offering prosocial alternatives. Divergent responses were defined as multiple unique response types within the same situation regardless of appropriateness. Data were analyzed using hierarchical logistic regressions.

Results

High use of divergent responses was consistently associated favorably with changes in delinquency from seventh to eighth grade. High use of divergent responses was associated with lowered likelihood to vandalize, steal or shoplift, and commit multiple acts of any type of delinquency, even after controlling for seventh grade delinquency. Socially appropriate responses showed little association to any delinquent behavior.

Conclusions

Different social pressure situations and contexts may require different responses. As trying to teach effective responses for every single potential peer pressure situation would be impossible, promoting divergent thinking may be an attractive alternative.

Keywords: Adolescent, Social interaction, Divergent thinking, Delinquency, Peer group