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Title Cognitive and emotional determinants of delinquent behaviour Author(s) Wan, Yuk Ting Yuki (温玉婷) Citation Wan, Y. T. Y. (2012). Cognitive and emotional determinants of delinquent behaviour (Outstanding Academic Papers by Students (OAPS)). Retrieved from City University of Hong Kong, CityU Institutional Repository. Issue Date

2012 URL http://hdl.handle.net/2031/6831 Rights This work is protected by copyright. Reproduction or distribution of the work in any format is prohibited without written permission of the copyright owner. Access is unrestricted. CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG Cognitive and Emotional Determinants of Delinquent Behaviour A Report Submitted to Department of Applied Social Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Bachelor of Social Sciences in Psychology by WAN Yuk Ting, Yuki April,

2012 EMOTION, SELF COGNITION, AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR ii Abstract Objectives: This article was designed to explore the relationships and the effects of negative emotions and self concepts on delinquent behaviour in a sample of Hong Kong young people (N=269). Method: With the use of self-report method, prevalence of deviant behaviours, negative emotions (stress, anxiety, and depression) and self concepts (moral reasoning, self- esteem, and moral self) were measured. Results: Findings revealed that all negative emotions and self concepts (except general self-esteem) were significantly predictive of delinquent behaviour in general. Mediation analysis showed that depression significantly mediated the effect of moral self on delinquent behaviour, whereas stress mediated the effect of moral reasoning on delinquent behaviour. Conclusions: Overall, the current study provided evidences for the facilitating effect of negative emotions with the association of moral self or moral reasoning on deviant behaviour, suggesting negative emotions, the personal formation of moral self and the development of moral reasoning are significant treatment targets in dealing with the problems of delinquents. EMOTION, SELF COGNITION, AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR iii Acknowledgement I am heartily thankful to my supervisor, Dr. CHENG, Hon Kwong Christopher, for his encouragement and guidance throughout this study which enabled me to develop an understanding on this topic. I would also like to thank all anonymous participants for their valuable contribution in this study. This study would not have been possible without their help. EMOTION, SELF COGNITION, AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR iv Table of Contents Abstract ii Acknowledgments iii Table of Contents iv List of Tables vi 1. Introduction and Literature Review 1.1 Introduction

1 1.2 Delinquent Behaviour

2 1.3 Emotion C Stress, Anxiety and Depression

4 1.4 Self Cognition C Moral Reasoning, Moral self and Self-esteem ……………..

7 1.5 Formulation of Hypotheses

10 2. Methodology 2.1 Participants…11 2.2. Materials

11 2.3. Procedures

13 3. Results 3.1. Descriptive Statistics of Delinquent Behaviour, Negative Emotions, and Self Cognition

14 3.2. Correlation between Delinquent Behaviour, Negative Emotions, and Self Cognition

17 3.3. Regression Analyses for the effects of Negative Emotions and Self Cognition on Delinquent Behaviour

19 4. Discussion and Conclusions 4.1. Major Findings and Limitations of this study

23 4.2. Conclusions

26 References

27 EMOTION, SELF COGNITION, AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR v Appendices Appendix A

34 Appendix B