An elementary school principal wants to know the best predictors of juvenile delinquency and dropping out of school in high school so she can provide preventive interventions. Your best advice is ________
A) "Look for kids who are very popular because they are class clowns."
B) "Silent, depressed, loners tend to be dropouts because they are often depressed."
C) "There is no way to predict juvenile delinquency as early as elementary school."
D) "The best predictor is aggression toward peers, which leads to peer rejection."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research has shown that aggression toward peers is a reliable predictor of later delinquency and dropping out of school. Additionally, peer rejection as a result of aggressive behavior can lead to social isolation and lower academic and social success, further increasing the risk of delinquency and dropout. Therefore, identifying children who display aggressive behavior and intervening early can help prevent these negative outcomes. Options A and B are oversimplified and do not capture the complexity of risk factors for delinquency and dropout. Option C is incorrect as there are several known risk factors for delinquency that can be identified in elementary school, such as conduct problems and poor school performance.

An Elementary School Principal Wants to Know the Best Predictors