The Predictive Importance of Selected Protective Factors against Different Types of Antisocial Behavior Manifested by Adolescent Boys and Girls

Abstract

The study aims to identify protective factors against antisocial behavior of adolescents. Data from the SAHA project (The Social and Health Assessment), obtained from a16-year-old juvenile cohort, were used to analyze antisocial behavior of adolescent boys (N = 733) and girls (N = 1110). Subsequently, levels of the predictive importance of the protective factors of the family environment, school environment, fulfilled leisure time and individual factors were tested through multinomial regression analysis in the groups of boys and girls. Slightly different paths to the absence of antisocial behavior were identified for adolescent boys and girls. Key predictors for adolescent boys with non-problem behavior are prosocial beliefs, prosocial behavior, leisure time, expectations of goal attainment, parental involvement, and teacher support. For adolescent girls, positive school environment, feelings of safety at school, parental warmth, parental supervision, prosocial beliefs, optimistic beliefs, and leisure time contribute to non-problematic behavior.