Developmental Trajectories and Predictors of Delinquent Peer Association

Although the important relationship between age and peers is well-known, relatively little empirical attention has focused on heterogeneous patterns of deviant peer association over time. In light of this, the current study assessed developmental trajectories of peer delinquency and examined criminological factors that explain such patterns. Five waves of data from the Korean Youth Panel Survey (KYPS) were analyzed through group-based trajectory modeling. Results identified six delinquent peer trajectory groups and revealed that juveniles are likely to associate with peers with similar levels of criminal propensity (such as self-control and early onset of delinquency), but this relationship was also influenced by unstructured socialization. Such findings suggest that the nature of delinquent peer association is complex and shaped by a range of factors which require comprehensive examination. Implications and limitations are discussed.