Research On Self-esteem Of Male Juvenile Offenders

We conduct a research on the self-esteem of male juvenile offenders with the revised scale-juvenile self-esteem scale. It contains three subscales: total self-esteem (contains two dimensions: positive self-esteem, negative self-esteem), general self-esteem(contains two dimensions: social self-esteem, individual self-esteem), and special self-esteem(contains four dimensions: physical self-esteem, vocational self-esteem, interpersonal self-esteem,family self-esteem). Inspections indicate that the scale is of satisfactory reliability and validity,so it can be an useful measurement tool for the research. The research on the self-esteem of male juvenile offenders shows that:1. The self-esteem of juvenile offenders is significantly lower than that of ordinary juvenile.2. As for all juvenile offenders, there exists significant positive correlation between positive self-esteem, social self-esteem and age. Significant positive correlation exists between positive self-esteem, social self-esteem, individual self-esteem, interpersonal self-esteem and the time of having served a sentence. Cultural degree and different group of having served a sentence have a interactive impact on positive self-esteem. No significant correlation exists between all dimensions and term of prisonment. Of all dimensions, no obvious difference is found in criminal type.3. Family self-esteem has obvious difference in different structure of family. Structure of family and living area have an interactive impact on interpersonal self-esteem. The cultural degree of parents has no notable influence on all dimensions.4. In the total structure of self-esteem,the main factors which affect juvenile offenders' total self-esteem are individual self-esteem, vocational self-esteem and physical self-esteem. Vocational self-esteem, social self-esteem and family self-esteem also have an indirect influence on total self-esteem through individual self-esteem.