Smith, Rhonda

Background: Researchers who study both attachment and criminal thinking propose that perceptions of the self and others explain why individuals engage in illegal behaviour (e.g., Bowlby, 1944; Mitchell & Tafrate, 2012). The purpose of this study was to combine these areas of research and examine how attachment views of self and others are associated with self and other models of criminal thinking patterns. Method: The first study included 582 undergraduate students and the findings were partially replicated in a second sample of adults recruited through social media (n =142). Participants completed measures of attachment, criminal thinking, and reported their engagement in illegal behaviours. Results: Structural equation modelling was used to test associations between models of the self and other. The respective models of the self and other for attachment and criminal thinking were associated, however, the cross paths were also associated for some groups and indicated a relationship where views of the self and other are predictive of one another in the context of relationships and criminal thinking. The findings were somewhat stronger for participants who reported engaging in deviant behaviour. Impact: To date, this study is the first to study the connection between attachment representations and criminal thinking, highlighting how our views of the self and others within relationships impact the complex way of thinking associated with criminal behaviour.

Author Keywords: adult attachment, attachment, criminal thinking, deviance

Social scientists have debated whether religious involvement is associated with differences in deviant behaviours for over a century. Religious practices and beliefs are often associated with less deviant behaviours in young adults, such as less frequent drug use and law-breaking. Empirical results on these associations, though, have been mixed, possibly due to heterogenous measures. Recent literature has begun teasing apart religious practices (e.g., attending church) from spiritual beliefs (e.g., believing in higher powers) and exploring their unique associations with different outcomes. The present study tested the independent and interactive effects of religion and spirituality in predicting deviance. Religion was negatively associated with some types of deviance, the relationship remained significant even after controlling for covariates. Spirituality was not reliably associated with deviance. There was an interaction between religion and spirituality, where the combination of the two was associated with the lowest level of deviance. Further findings and implications are discussed.

Author Keywords: deviance, religion, spirituality, youth