Violent Video Games, Delinquency, and Youth Violence

• Author: Jeffrey J. Shook,Matt DeLisi,Michael G. Vaughn,Craig A. Anderson,Douglas A. Gentile
• Published date: 01 April 2013
• Date: 01 April 2013
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/1541204012460874
• Published By: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Violent Video Games,

Delinquency, and Youth

Violence: New Evidence

Matt DeLisi

1

, Michael G. Vaughn

2

,

Douglas A. Gentile

3

, Craig A. Anderson

3

, and

Jeffrey J. Shook

4

Abstract

Violent video game playing is correlated with aggression, but its relation to antisocial behavior in

correctional and juvenile justice samples is largely unknown. Based on a data from a sample of

institutionalized juvenile delinquents, behavioral and attitudinal measures relating to violent video

game playing were associated with a composite measure of delinquency and a more specific measure

of violent delinquency after controlling for the effects of screen time, years playing video games, age,

sex, race, delinquency history, and psychopathic personality traits. Violent video games are asso-

ciated with antisociality even in a clinical sample, and these effects withstand the robust influences of

multiple correlates of juvenile delinquency and youth violence most notably psychopathy.

Keywords

violent video games, delinquency, violence, media, psychopathy

Introduction

Decades of research have shown that serious, chronic, and violent juvenile delinquents display a set

of personality and behavioral characteristics that set them apart from less serious, nominally antiso-

cial youth (DeLisi & Piquero, 2011; Farrington, Loeber, & Berg, 2012; Jones, Miller, & Lynam,

2011; Moffitt, 1993; Trulson, 2007). Serious delinquents often have precocious self-regulation

behaviors and corresponding juvenile justice system interventions occurring during childhood,

engage in assorted delinquent behaviors often at high frequencies, and struggle to achieve function-

ing competencies in school, family, and work demands. Moreover, they often display a multitude of

risk factors for delinquency and violence compared to less antisocial youth (DeLisi et al., 2011;

1

Criminal Justice Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

2

School of Social Work, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA

3

Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

4

School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Corresponding Author:

Matt DeLisi, Criminal Justice Studies, Iowa State University, 203A East Hall, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

Email: delisi@iastate.edu

Youth Violence and JuvenileJustice

11(2) 132-142

ªThe Author(s) 2012

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DOI: 10.1177/1541204012460874

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