Gender and aggressive and criminal behaviour problems in children and teenagers: results of a study conducted among parents
Mª.A. Ramírez Castillo

SUMMARY

Objective: To compare the aggressive and criminal behaviour among boys and girls taking gender into account. To analyse how gender can predict behaviour when there are marital problems and poor and negative parenting at home.

Design: A cross-sectional comparative, descriptive study, and explanatory correlation.

Location: Public and private infant, primary, and secondary schools the city of Granada.

Participants: Two hundred boys and girls aged 3 to 16. The average age is 10.3-3 years old (SD= 3.26).

Main measurement: The results are obtained through the answers given by the children’s parents who completed the Child Behaviour Checklist, the O’Leary Porter Scale, and the Child-Rearing Practices Report.

Results: When we compare average values, we observe that the punctuation for boys (X= 3.135) is significantly superior to that of girls (X= 2.097); (p< 0.001). The same is true for attention problems (X= 6.745 for boys and 5.259 for girls; p< 0.006). By means of the regression analysis, gender confirms as a predictive variable of criminal behaviour (p< 0.003) (together with marital problems, non-physical punishment and enjoying with the child). It is also predictive of external problems (p< 0.32) (together with age, marital conflicts, emphasis on achievement, expression of affection and well-reasoned guide).

Conclusions: This study concludes that boys have more behavioural problems than girls. When there are marital conflicts and negative rearing practices, boys again have more problems than girls. Data suggest that there is a real need for an honest coeducation when designing intervention programmes.

KEY WORDS

Gender, behaviour, social problems, marital relationships, child rearing.