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Cited by 32Crime Patterns and InterventionsChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentReligion, Spirituality, and Psychology

Self-Reported Risk and Delinquent Behavior and Problem Behavioral Intention in Hong Kong Adolescents: The Role of Moral Competence and Spirituality

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Shek, Daniel T. L., Zhu, Xiaoqin·2018·Frontiers in Psychology
DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00430PMC PMC5885157
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Abstract

= 3,328 at Wave 1), this pioneer study examined the development of problem behaviors (risk and delinquent behavior and problem behavioral intention) and the predictors (moral competence and spirituality) among adolescents in Hong Kong. Individual growth curve models revealed that while risk and delinquent behavior accelerated and then slowed down in the high school years, adolescent problem behavioral intention slightly accelerated over time. After controlling the background socio-demographic factors, moral competence and spirituality were negatively associated with risk and delinquent behavior as well as problem behavioral intention across all waves as predicted. Regarding the rate of change in the outcome measures, while the initial level of spirituality was positively linked to the growth rate of risk and delinquent behavior, the initial level of moral competence was negatively associated with the growth rate of problem behavioral intention. The theoretical and practical implications of the present findings are discussed with reference to the role of moral competence and spirituality in the development of adolescent problem behavior.

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  • Moral and religious beliefs in the family can play a key role in preventing risky behaviors and social harms in adolescents.

    “Moral and religious beliefs in the family can also play a key role in preventing risky behaviors and social harms in adolescents [27, 28].”

    From Barriers to vulnerable adolescent girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health (2022) · cites this paper as [28]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) identifies adolescents’ moral competence and spirituality as protective factors associated with fewer problem behaviors. But the Instruments section measures spirituality as a sense of meaning and purpose, not religious belief, and the paper does not establish that moral or religious beliefs in the family prevent these behaviors. It treats family circumstances as a separate protective factor. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Shek, D. T. L., & Zhu, X.
Affiliations
Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK)
Corresponding author
Shek, Daniel T. L.
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Psychology
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2018-03-29
Volume
9
Pages
430-430
ISSN
1664-1078 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00430
PMC
PMC5885157
OpenAlex
W2794760354
Cited by
32
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 7
FWCI
11.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • PolyU Institutional Research Archive (Hong Kong Polytechnic University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
Keywords
juvenile delinquency, risk-taking, moral competence, spirituality, adolescent development, Hong Kong adolescents, growth curve models, developmental trajectories

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