Life-Meaning and Value Orientations of Adolescents Inclined to Deviant Behavior

life-meaning orientations; value orientations; adolescents; deviant behavior

Prevention of deviant behavior among adolescents is an urgent task of modern society. In our research we consider a deviant behavior of adolescents as a display of their anxiety, as an answer to influence of the world around on their values and life meanings. The goal of the research is to study the characteristic features of life-meaning and value orientations of adolescents inclined to deviant behavior. The sample involves 62 secondary school students aged 15-17 years old divided into 2 equal groups with/without inclination to deviant behavior. The research hypothesis: adolescents would differ in the structure of value orientations and leading life meanings depending on the level of their inclination to deviant behavior. The theoretical and methodological base comprises approaches examining parent-child relationships, theories of forming and developing life-meaning sphere and value sphere of a person, and concepts of deviant behavior. The empirical part of the study includes methods of questioning, testing (“Inclination to deviant behavior” Test [A.N. Orel]; “Rokeach Value Survey”; “Investigation of the system of life meanings” [V.S. Kotlyakov]) and statistical data processing. Results and discussion: 1. Adolescents more inclined to deviant behavior demonstrate a preference for life meanings reflecting their desire to discover life in different ways, to explore contradictions of the world around, to realize the need of expression of their abilities in a demonstrative way. These reveal themselves against the background of the decrease of interpersonal communication with peers and adults. 2. Adolescents less inclined to deviant behavior show a preference for life meanings which reflect their striving to enjoy life, get positive emotions, avoid stressful situations, pay attention to the causes of current developments, and to help others. Conclusion: the differentiation of adolescents in their lifestyle (a striving for a comfortable life versus for education) can be used as a foundation for social-psychological work.