Abstract

Introduction: To compare the coping mechanisms of 15-17 year-old inhabitants of “Tehran Correction and Rehabilitation Center” and 15-17 year-old high school students of area 6 in Tehran.

Method: In a cross-sectional descriptive study all 105 inhabitants of the center (81 males and 24 females) and 372 high school students (181 males and 191 females) who were randomly selected from area 6 of Tehran schools completed the “Adolescent Coping Scale” which consists of 18 strategies and 3 styles. Results were analyzed using ANOVA and t-test. 

Results: Non-delinquent males and females used productive style more than reference to others,�and reference to others more than nonproductive style. Delinquent males used productive style and reference to others without significant difference, and also used these two styles signi-ficantly more than nonproductive style. Delinquent females used all three styles without signi-ficant difference. Delinquent males used all three styles significantly more than non-delinquent�males. Delinquent females used productive style less, nonproductive style more and reference to others without significant difference from non-delinquent females.

Conclusion: In comparison with delinquent females, delinquent males have a more compre-hensive set of coping skills and can use external resources more effectively. Delinquent females�use a very dysfunctional collection of coping mechanisms, which may have caused their vulner- ability to social pathologies.