Factors linked to juvenile delinquency among forced migrant children

Abstract

Purpose

Conditions of war have caused millions of children to be displaced both externally and internally worldwide. The present study aims to evaluate individual and trauma-caused risk factors and sociodemographic characteristics associated with juvenile delinquency among forced migrant children.

Methods

40 juvenile delinquents and 40 controls aged 13–17 who were forced migrants took part in the study. Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Harvard Trauma Scale, Strengths and Difficulties Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Relationship Scales Questionnaire-Adolescent Form were administered to both groups. Chi-square test(x2) and Fisher's Exact test were used to compare categorical variables across two groups. Normality was assessed by Kolmogorov- Smirnov test. Normally distributed continuous variables were compared by the student's t-test whereas for non-normal continuous variables Mann-Whitney U test was used.

Results

Juvenile delinquency was related to larger family structure, lower socioeconomic and parental education levels, greater prevalence of smoking, alcohol, and substance use, and psychiatric diagnoses such MDD, PTSD, ADHD, ODD, DD among children. Traumatic migration experiences, longer migration periods, forced internal migration, having witnessed death or injury, not having attended school prior to migration, illiteracy, fragmented family structure, living apart from the parents, refugee camp experience, and were more prevalent among delinquents than non-delinquents.

Conclusions

These risk factors should be considered when designing prevention and intervention strategies and identifying protective factors to mitigate the negative effects of juvenile delinquency.