Relationship between Social Desirability and Self-Criticism in Subgroups of Male and Female Delinquents and Non-Delinquents

Abstract

90 male and 37 female delinquents and 121 male and 87 female non-delinquents were administered measures of social desirability and self-criticism/defensiveness to test the hypothesis that the relationship between social desirability and self-criticism/defensiveness would be weaker for delinquents than for non-delinquents, which signals stronger pathologically defensive tendencies in delinquents than in non-delinquents. The hypothesis was very strongly supported for male delinquents, male non-delinquents, and female non-delinquents in upper-middle and middle classes but not for female delinquents and female non-delinquents in lower-middle and working classes. Therapeutic and child-rearing implications were indicated. It was concluded that social desirability scales can be used to differentiate individuals with pathologically defensive or hyper-self-critical tendencies from individuals with non-pathologically defensive tendencies.