This study explores the relationships between a sample of detained juveniles' specific problems and their psychological orientations. It was proposed that for youths who are in trouble with the law, specific behavioral difficulties (e.g., substance abuse) would be associated with the youths' psychological orientation to a deviant lifestyle. Analysis of a sample of 145 status offender and juvenile delinquent cases revealed a significant positive association among “antisocial” orientation and physical abuse, illicit drug use, repeated placements in secure detention, and self-derogation. These relationships held when controlling for the effects of gender, age, and ethnicity. These results support the view that specific behavior problems are related to a valuation of a deviant lifestyle. The implications of these results for service providers are discussed.
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