Emotion regulation and cognitive distortions: A comparison between adolescent offenders and controls [Regolazione emotiva e distorsioni cognitive: Un confronto tra adolescenti autori di reato e controlli]

The aim of the study was to investigate the association between delinquent behaviour in youth and emotion regulation of anger and sadness and the tendency to self-serving cognitive distortions (CD). Seventy-nine, male offenders incarcerated at the Airola Youth Detention Center or under the direct supervision of the Juvenile Court and 242 male high school students never involved in offense, participated in the study. Subjects were administered a questionnaire regarding emotion regulation of anger and sadness and a questionnaire evaluating CD. Results evidenced that offenders were higher on CD and coping and inhibition of sadness. In order to understand the links between emotion regulation, CD and delinquent behaviour, a structural equation model was tested, which showed that the tendency to use certain maladaptive ways of regulating anger is associated with an increased recourse to CD that, in turn, represent a proximal, highly significant predictor of delinquent behaviour. The results of the study open new perspectives in the criminological field, highlighting the combined effect of emotional and cognitive dimensions on the involvement in delinquent behaviour in youth.