An evaluation of behavioural and personality differences between native and non-native male adolescents in the Netherlands ordered into treatment in a forensic psychiatric outpatient clinic, and their non-violent peers.

BACKGROUND

In a previous study of the dynamic criminogenic needs of violent outpatients we did not differentiate between native and non-native adolescents, but differences between personality traits and problem behaviours may require adaptations to any treatment programme.

AIM: To compare, in the Netherlands, native and non-native adolescents with and without a violence history on personality traits and problem behaviours.

METHODS

Forty-eight native and 71 non-native violent male adolescents were recruited from consecutive referrals to a forensic outpatient clinic after a violent offence and compared with randomly selected male youths in secondary vocational schools, but without a violent history, 82 of whom were from Dutch and 79 from non-Dutch descent. Each took part in an individual interview to complete a range of personality and behavioural rating scales.

RESULTS

Native and non-native adolescent outpatients did not differ from each other on any measure. Overall, the outpatients scored higher than the students on hostility but not aggressive behaviour, but there were differences within the student group according to descent, with the native students having higher agreeableness scores and lower hostility and aggressive behaviour scores than the students of non-Dutch descent.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggested that any differences in behavioural or personality traits seen in the general adolescent population according to descent are not reflected in a violent offender group of similar age. It therefore seems unlikely to be necessary to run different treatment programmes for native and non-native adolescent offenders.