A case study of juvenile delinquency: A boy from a functional family

Abstract

This study examines a boyʼs experience of delinquency during his middle adolescence (14–16 years of age) at the case level. This is a boy from a functional family with no known predisposition to delinquency. The non-pathological context of the case under study allows the case to be labelled as deviant sampling. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method was used. The results show that the boy perceives his extremely extensive delinquent behaviour (especially substance use, rule-breaking, lying and denial) as inappropriate but at the same time necessary to achieve freedom, respect and dominance among his peers. During adolescence, he changes his strategies for achieving respect and dominance in the group by beginning to use his rhetorical skills.