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Teen Girls in Juvenile Centers More Aggressive Than Male Peers

Incarcerated teen girls are more aggressive than boys in or out of juvenile detention centers, reports a study in the July issue of Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice which shows that the percentage of girls that are aggressive while incarcerated is nearly double that of boys.

"The psychological issues we found in the girls in detention centers are nothing like what we expected--not compared to boys in juvenile hall, not compared to average girls in the community," said Elizabeth Cauffman, associate professor of psychology and social behavior at the University of California, Irvine.

According to the press release teen girls in the correctional system experience anger in a far stronger manner than girls outside it.

Psychologists know that in general, teen girls are more likely to internalize problems while boys act out through yelling or hitting. But Cauffman found that among incarcerated youths, teen girls are twice as likely as the boys to externalize their problems through aggression. For example, they describe themselves as having a "short fuse" or admit a desire to get back at someone.

Eight hundred teens participated in the study, with the results from the teens in juvenile facilities being compared to teens of similar backgrounds, races and socioeconomic status who had never been incarcerated.

The researchers were also surprised to find that among the jailed teens girls and boys were on an equal par in terms of reporting incidences of drug or alcohol abuse. In the general population, teen girls report lower alcohol and substance use than boys.

ABSTRACT: Gender Differences in Mental Health Symptoms Among Delinquent and Community Youth