Emotional behavioural styles in violent and non-violent juvenile offenders

Abstract

Previous studies have found emotional behavioural styles among school children in Pakistan and their impact on academic achievement (Javed et al., 1992; Samad et al., 2005; Soomro & Clarbour 2012; Syed et al., 2007; Syed & Hussein, 2009). The main purpose of the study was to extend the investigation to the juvenile offenders to assess the emotional behavioural styles among violent and non-violent juvenile offenders located in the different prisons of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. T-test and Binary Logistic Regression were used to analyse the data. T-test revealed that there were significant differences among violent and non-violent juvenile offenders on three emotional style factors: malevolent aggression, social self-esteem, and social anxiety. Binary Logistic Regression analysis indicated that violent juvenile offenders exhibited higher levels of malevolent aggression and low levels of social self-esteem and social anxiety than non-violent juvenile offenders. Current study is comparative in nature and may provide empirical evidences for distinguishing between the violent and non-violent juvenile offenders on the basis of emotional behavioural styles and suggest intensive multimodal Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and anger management program to modify the behaviour of violent juvenile offenders.