Effect of Adolescent Instability on Conduct
The Psychological Clinic Copyright, 1915, by Lightner Witmer, Editor. Vol. VIII, No. 9. February 15, 1915 :Author: Augusta F. Bronner, Ph.D. Juvenile Psychopathic Institute, Chicago, III.
That the period of adolescence brings with it numerous problems is a fact well known to all who come in contact with young people of that age. An understanding of these problems, however, is frequently lacking on the part of parents, teachers, social workers, and those connected with juvenile courts, important though this may be for the welfare of the adolescent. The changes, physical, mental, and moral, which take place at this time and which have been described in detail by such writers as Hall, Clouston, and Marro are too little known and appreciated by many of those who desire most earnestly to deal sympathetically and understandingly with young people. It is sufficient to be familiar, in a general way, with the characteristics of the adolescent period; it is more important to know that certain specific changes take place, and even far more important to realize how these changes affect behavior.
The whole problem is a very large one; we desire to discuss briefly only one phase of adolescent conduct?general instability? and to cite several cases where this has been the fundamental cause of delinquency. Nor are the instances cited at all unusual; they might be multiplied indefinitely, and while they represent cases brought into the juvenile court, they serve but to picture behavior no more extreme and unlawful than that of many who, because of more fortunate circumstances of one kind or another, escape such punishment.
Most of the writers on the subject of adolescence have included among its characteristics changeableness and instability. Stanley Hall has especially emphasized this as being a correlate of the development of new phases of the affective life. He has shown how greatly the adolescent varies in his behavior; he is once extremely secretive, then most desirous of confession; religious and sacriligious in turn; going from one extreme to another?a creature utterly unstable, changing from day to day, and from mood to mood. This is not surprising; for with new desires and organic cravings there arise new and strong emotions not yet supplied with adequate channels of expression, which nevertheless react in behavior.
Other forces begin now to operate as well. According to some writers it is at this period that strong hereditary tendencies often exhibit themselves. Thus Clouston believes that those who are subject to great mental and moral changes at adolescence have usually hereditary tendencies making for nervousness. ” They come of families or stocks in which drunkenness, eccentricity, genius or insanity have appeared,” he writes in “The Hygiene of the Mind.” We know that the storm and stress of the adolescent period varies with different individuals. Some pass through it with comparatively slight mental and moral disturbances, while in the case of others the period brings with it the most intense struggles. In some instances the boy or girl develops into young manhood or young womanhood slowly and evenly, but with others there are marked changes of character accompanied by extreme phenomena in the mental and moral realm. No doubt the hereditary background is one element, at least, that accounts for this difference in the forces of adolescent impulses. In every case these great changes, these strong forces not yet adequately understood and controlled, account for the instability so characteristic of the young adolescent.
If this is true, if vital changes occur and new forces come into play, if self-control is weakened and instability increased, then one would expect to find a close relationship between these phenomena and delinquency in adolescent offenders.
It is true that in almost no cases of delinquency is there one cause that can be cited as the one and only factor which determines the behavior of the individual and which therefore is alone responsible for his offense. There are rather a number of interrelated factors which together explain the reprehensible conduct. Some one of these may be the main cause to which the others are subsidiary, but behavior is ordinarily a most complex affair and many elements combine to make it what it is. Yet with adolescent offenders there are instances where adolescence alone, or largely, accounts for the delinquency. Whereas the instability, so characteristic of the period, may play a part in the cases of all adolescent offenders, yet often the role is less important than that of other forces. The delinquency may have begun long before the adolescent period. There are many other factors, such as bad home conditions, bad companions, disturbing influences of one kind and another that have influenced the child. On the other hand, it may occur that the boy or girl becomes definitely delinquent for the first time at just the age of adolescence. Up to then he has shown no signs of waywardness; he has appeared a normal child, not difficult to control and exhibiting no unusual tendencies. Perhaps his previous record has been unusually good, his school reports have been satisfactory, he has been considered trustworthy and reliable. Suddenly his behavior changes, it becomes contrary to the tenor of his earlier life; he becomes unstable, unreliable, performing acts that are unusual, at least for him, foolish and erratic. Sometimes this erraticism is so extreme as to verge on an actual psychosis. All this occurs without any marked change in the external conditions under which he lives; though environmental circumstances remain the same, the individual alters noticeably.
The specific deeds actually performed vary from one person to another as does the length of time that they persist. Often the outburst of irregular and unusual action is brief; a few weeks or months during which one cannot anticipate what will occur, after which the boy or girl displays no further tendency to peculiarity or delinquency. In other instances a longer period elapses before the individual reverts to his former stability. But when the unusual conduct is an adolescent phenomenon it terminates during that period unless other new elements enter, which prolong and alter it. Ordinarily, however, with the passing of adolescence greater stability is acquired, self-control develops, social adjustments are made, the individual finds himself.
Often there are other factors which complicate the problem. There may be premature physical development, early puberty, mental and nervous disorders of one kind or another which increase the burden that is thrown on the shoulders of the young adolescent. Such cases require special understanding and sympathy, and deserve a fuller and more detailed discussion, such as is found in Dr Healy’s new book, “The Individual Delinquent.”
A knowledge of the characteristics of the adolescent period and an appreciation of their importance is a necessary part of the equipment of those who wish to work with young girls and boys intelligently and helpfully. A recognition of the characteristic instability of the period and of the expression of this instability in behavior, as well as of its often temporary character, are very important in dealing with delinquents both in and out of courts. The understanding of the problem becomes a very vital issue in the prognosis of all such cases and has a very practical bearing on the attitude toward and the treatment of the offender. Delinquent acts committed at this period cannot be judged in and of themselves. If adolescence as a factor is not taken into account, the judgment made is most likely to be erroneous. This does not mean that nothing definite should be done, that one must wait helplessly until adolescence has passed. On the contrary, constructive measures of all kinds are never more urgently necessary than at just the adolescent period.
Yet one must interpret these as adolescent reactions, and neither mimimize nor magnify their importance, and one must be conscious of all that is implied of the need for sympathetic guidance and control until the delinquent shall have attained that stage of development where he is able to control himself. In order to illustrate these points, certain cases studied in the Psychopathic Institute of the Juvenile Court of Chicago are presented. All are cases of adolescent offenders and though certain factors vary from case to case, yet in all, instability is marked. A summary of the physical and psychological findings is given, together with details regarding the delinquencies and outcome of each case. Case I.?The first case cited is one where adolescence is certainly the main, and perhaps the only, cause of the delinquency; it is presented as illustrating an instance where the heredity, according to reliable information, is entirely negative.
This boy, L. S., was fourteen years and nine months old when first seen. He was a short but sturdy lad, strong and in good physical condition. No sensory defects were found, and no signs of nervous disorder other than a slight tremor of outstretched hands and biting of finger nails. Pubertal development was possibly somewhat, but certainly not greatly, premature. He was pleasant in manner and responsive in attitude.
Mentally he was quite capable. He had completed the seventh grade of the public schools before reaching his fourteenth year. On tests he proved to have good ability and good mental and psychomotor control. He showed no signs of irregularity or peculiarity. His best records were achieved on tests requiring powers of analysis and control; his poorest on those requiring skill in construction work, but in no instance were the results poor. For a lad of his ability he was rather poorly informed, particularly in regard to scientific matters. He knew some little of historical events in spite of having few books at home and not taking books from any library. His school record was good; he had been truant on very few occasions? only once or twice in all his school years.
The parents, both of whom were greatly interested in the boy’s welfare, gave a very good account of family and developmental conditions, as well as a detailed story of the boy’s difficulties. These facts were corroborated by L’s own frank recital of his problems as he saw them.
Up to the time when he left school he had been in no way delinEFFECT OF ADOLESCENT INSTABILITY. 253 quent. There was no complaint at home or at school. Shortly afterward, that is, just at the period of early adolescence, he began running away from home, associating with bad companions, giving up his positions voluntarily?for he was never discharged up to the time when he was first brought to the Juvenile Court. The occasion that led to his first running away was of such minor importance that he himself did not recall it a short time later. The next escapade of the sort was prolonged for over two weeks. During the day when both parents were away working the boy would go home, obtain something to eat, sleep, and leave the house before their return, only to spend the nights riding on elevated railroads. As he himself expressed it, “I was flipping. Walked the tracks and jumped on the cars at the station. Every night I did that.” This running away was preceded by some very slight family trouble. He felt that he “was getting blamed for everything his brother and sister did.” Besides this his mother wished him to help her in the home. “I did not want to do housework and I got kind of sore and said, ‘Wait.’ After awhile she said, ‘Are you going to do it?’ and I got sore and said, ‘I’m going out,’ and I went away and did not come back.” Nevertheless when the boy was at home during the day while the family were away, he did not only his share of the work but that usually done by his brother and sister as well.
Previous to this the boy had retained one position for three months. Then he left this employer because ” the boys blamed everything on me.” His next position he voluntarily relinquished at the end of a month because he was tired of it. At that time he began associating with bad companions, boys who had lived in the neighborhood previously, but with whom he had never made friends up to that time. With them he began smoking, but he would never accompany them on the stealing expeditions in which they took part. After his appearance in court he was put on probation, went back to work, continued steadily for two weeks and then on his pay day went away and stayed over night. Two weeks later he ran away once more and after an absence of a week he was apprehended and again brought into court. He had given up his position, had had several others, each for a short time. At the last place of employment a half hour after beginning work he had stolen a ten-dollar bill and run away. His last leaving home, he said, was due to fear. He claimed that, having bought tobacco with the money his father gave him for lunch each day, he had run up a bill against his father in consequence of which he was ashamed, as well as afraid, to go home. In his last adventure he said he had not run away with his former companions, but had gone alone.
At this court appearance he was sent to a correctional institution for three months. He had a good record there and on his release was given a position by his first employer. From that time on the boy has done well and there has been no further complaint. He has never been again in court, he has worked steadily and now has been released from probation, his good record having been maintained for more than two years.
Before one can understand the causative factors in this boy’s delinquency it is necessary to inquire into other features of the case. Heredity is entirely negative. There is no history of any nervous or mental disease in either family. The parents are good, industrious people, both working in order to pay for the home which they had bought. While it is true that the mother was away all day, yet this lack of home control was equally present long before the boy became delinquent. In fact one would expect this to be more harmful while the boy was going to school and had his afternoons uncontrolled than when he was working. Up to the period of his delinquency he had not associated with bad companions, who later influenced him considerably, but since these boys had lived in the neighborhood previously he might have become friendly with them earlier had he wished to do so. It was not idleness or lack of occupation that was a factor for, as we see, he obtained good positions from which he was not discharged.
When one considers the boy’s native ability, his training both at home and at school, which was at least average and fairly good, the fact that environmental conditions were fairly satisfactory and unchanged at the time, one is led to the conclusion that the largest force in the delinquency of this boy was adolescent instability. From a steady reliable lad, who had a good reputation both at home and at school, a boy liked by all who knew him, he became unstable, unreliable, changeable in his behavior. Just why he should suddenly begin leaving a good home and relinquishing positions on the flimsiest of excuses, involving himself later in theft, cannot be explained by any external circumstances. But as these reactions began without any warning, just so after a few months they were discontinued. The boy was delinquent for only a short time during the adolescent period and there is little doubt that he will now continue successfully to adjust himself to his social situation and fulfill such obligations as are necessary for him to meet.
Case II.?This case resembles the preceding one, inasmuch as adolescent instability is the main causative factor. Unlike Case I, however, there is a long period elapsing before the individual regains the former stability. Though the delinquencies were never excessive, they occasioned much worry and concern to all interested in the girl. They were so similar in character that, though extending over a period of more than four years, the case can be briefly summarized and the essential features presented in a few words. The brevity should not obscure the fact, however, that in behalf of the girl many constructive measures were undertaken which no doubt were factors in the successful outcome.
M. W., sixteen years and four months old when first seen, was large for her age, and well developed, but pubertal onset was not premature. A number of physical findings pointed to a mild hysterical condition. The palatal-pharyngeal reflex was absent, corneal reflex minus, conjunctival absent. Arm and knee jerks were normal. She complained of frequent frontal headaches, which might have been due to the fact that, according to her statement, she sometimes read the night through. She complained, too, that she became dizzy occasionally when going up or down stairs, and that at times she would laugh or cry without being able to control herself. She was extremely bright; not only was she advanced in school work, but she had read widely as well. She was a fluent talker, a student and very ambitious. Even here, however, she showed great instabilitjr for almost daily there was some new vocation that she wished to pursue; only of one thing was she sure, and that was that she “wanted to be great”.
There were no complaints regarding M. until she was sixteen years old, when in the course of one year she had run away from home eight times. She refused to tell her family just where she remained when away, but it was definitely known that she had never been immoral. The home was not a poor one, indeed in many ways it was quite good. M. had numerous disagreements with other members of the family who really did not understand the girl and had little sympathy with her ambitions. Feeling that her own home, in spite of the material comforts, was uncongenial, the officer who had the girl on probation placed her elsewhere, both in girls’ clubs and in private homes. Though great care was taken to find suitable occupation for her, yet she was never satisfied long at any one place. Once she was discharged for failure to attend properly to her duties; always anxious to be a success, she had not the stability to achieve it in any situation where placed. She was not guilty of any grave misdemeanor, but she occasioned an immense amount of trouble by her general instability and her changeableness. Tried in numerous places, she was never satisfied; she ran away again and again, living at times with strangers, winning the sympathy and confidence of those in charge of various philanthropic enterprises only to disappoint them soon by her inability to “make good”. This continued for several years, M. trying at various times to adjust herself to her own family conditions, but always failing to do so. In the meantime she assumed the name of a lost heiress, not on her own initiative, for it was from others, who really believed it to be true, that the suggestion came. Doubtless M. enjoyed the notoriety for a time and hence made no effort to disprove the assertion.
Then she left the city entirely, supported herself elsewhere, but wrote letters to her friends expressing her general dissatisfaction with conditions as she found them. Several months later she returned to her family, but soon left home again and was not heard from until she sent word that she had given up the religion of her people and had been converted to a different faith. During this time her only delinquent act, other than changing about from place to place, and dissatisfaction with any regular employment, was the purchasing of some articles which she charged in the name of some people whom she knew. This led to her retaining a position in an office for four months until this debt was discharged.
Suddenly, after four years of behavior characterized chiefly by instability and unreliability, M. made a resolution to attempt seriously to achieve something. She entered a college where she maintained herself by her own efforts, earning her way entirely by her own work. During the year it became known that she had previously been a ward of the court and through some untrue accounts sent by her family, still outraged by her religious conversion, her delinquencies were grossly magnified and distorted. As a result, M. was practically ostracized by her former friends, but through it all she exhibited the greatest strength of character, refusing to leave the college, determined to gain the education she desired. She completed the year’s work with a good scholastic record which, at least, could not be denied her.
She has now entered a hospital where she is being trained for a professional nurse and thus far her record is extremely good. She feels that she has, at last, entered upon a career that satisfies her and she has found herself. Indeed, she bids fair to achieve her old ideal of “greatness” for after a long period of vacillation she has now shown evidence of having achieved much in the realm of conquering herself. She is today a very attractive young woman, serious, ambitious, self-reliant and dependable. All physical signs of hysteria have disappeared, and doubtless the long period of instability has passed. Case III.?The next case will be reported briefly. It is cited, however, as illustrating a marked difference from Cases I and II.
There the heredity was entirely negative. In Case II there are, on the contrary, several interesting features as regards heredity, but there are few, if any, other contributing causes other than defective heredity and adolescent instability. This girl, J. T., was sixteen years and eleven months old when the case was first studied. She was strong and in good general physical condition. She was large for her age, being 5 ft. 5 in. in height and weighing 146 lbs. Onset of puberty was not premature. No sensory defects were found.
Mentally the girl was normal in ability, rather bright. She had been graduated from the grammar school, had read much and was well informed. The results on all tests given were good. The data relating to the case were obtained from the girl and her father, and the main points were corroborated by an aunt and a friend of the family. The girl had given no trouble earlier; there had never been any complaints from school, the only fault her family had found was a tendency to tell falsehoods, but these were only to shield herself from scoldings when she had been guilty of any small act of disobedience. They were never significant and she had been considered a good girl.
After leaving school, J. obtained a position which she retained for several months. Then after having a perfectly clear record, she stole a sum of money, her employer claiming it was $100, although the girl affirmed it was only $35. Part of this?$22 she gave to her mother as a gift, telling her she had made it as “extras”, although there was no need for additional money at home. The remainder of it she spent foolishly, buying, for instance, a bird and cage which she took home. At the same time, she had also taken a ring from an employee who had left it on her desk. When brought to court she was ordered to return the ring, secure another position and to pay $1 a week to her former employers to discharge the debt she owed them. Her mother returned the $22 when she learned the true circumstances. Before she had met this obligation, she gave up the second position because, as she said, “The work was dirty. I got ink and excelsior all over my clothes.” She had asked to be transferred to another department and when refused she left. Ihe following two weeks she spent in looking for work, but during this period she lied to her family, telling them she was engaged in housework. Not having any pay to take home at the end of the two weeks she ran away. This was a particularly cruel thing to do inasmuch as her mother was very ill at that time. The desire to spare her mother worry was the justification J. herself gave for lying in regard to work. She did not wish her mother to worry because she had no work, but the worry because of her absence seems not to have occurred to her. After two appearances in court within a few months, it was seen the girl was most unstable and she was sent to an excellent school where she remained for some time. From that time on she was not delinquent. After she left school she returned home and the later reports, covering a period of three years, have been uniformly good. Turning now to the heredity in this case we find several important facts. The father during his adolescent period was in an asylum for six months. He states that when about sixteen he “got to worrying terribly about some things and was under lock and key, but always knew everything, and has been all right ever since.” This has been corroborated. There was no recurrence of any mental trouble, and he has steadily borne a good reputation. His only eccentricity has been shown in his extreme religious fervor which amounts almost to fanaticism.
On the mother’s side there were also neurotic conditions. J’s father and aunt both stated that the mother had had chorea in her sixteenth year, had always been nervous, and at the time of J’s trouble she was very ill of tuberculosis. The maternal grandmother and a maternal aunt also had had tuberculosis.
Because of the father’s peculiarities and the mother’s invalidism the home conditions were somewhat unusual. The father’s religious inclinations led to much repression of the girl. She was forbidden to indulge in the amusements which she craved; the father wished her to read nothing but the Bible, and, although she associated only with good companions, her father objected to her friends because they attended theaters and dances. In other ways, however, the home influences were good. The parents were honest and industrious. The ideals presented to the children were comparatively high. There had been no trouble with two other children, both younger than J. The girl had associated with no bad companions and had gone with no one who stole. The mother’s illness may have led to some lack of oversight and control on her part. The father attributed some measure of the blame to an aunt who was, he said, a frivolous woman and had influenced the girl. The aunt certainly, however, was not connected with J’s stealing or running away.
There had been no evidence of any tendency to steal before this time and the very peculiarities of the home would tend to discourage any actions of the sort. The expenditure of the money for unnecessary, almost useless things showed that there was no urgent need impelling the girl, nor any longing to gratify unfulfilled desires. While the home provided no great recreational opportunities, there was no great poverty or distress. The lying in regard to work might be considered as a continuation of J’s early shown tendency to defense by prevarication, but it had never been as extreme in character, or continued for so long a time. The fact that this type of conduct has never been repeated, that it began suddenly without sufficient reason in the external circumstances to warrant it, shows it to have been largely an adolescent outburst. Within the period of five months J. became much more stable and ceased being delinquent.
Case IV.?We have here an instance where, as in the previous case, heredity is a feature, but in Case IV this is very much more marked. Indeed, it is cited as an illustration of heredity that is extreme in its defectiveness.
This boy, H. M., was fifteen years and five months old when first seen; he was found to be in exceedingly good physical condition. He was well developed and well nourished. Sex development was quite advanced for his age. His voice was deep and features of mature type. He made no complaints regarding his health and no sensory defects were found.
Mentally he was well up to the ordinary in ability and information. He had no particular aptitudes and no unusual endowments. On the other hand, the results of tests showed no irregularities and no peculiarities. He had had a good record at school which he always liked. He had attended a technical school for six months, had a good record there; he was considered a fine worker. He had left this because of his father’s death.
On several occasions he ran away from school, but he could never have been termed a truant. Both he and his intelligent mother stated that he had never stolen until one year previous to our study of him when he had obtained, at various times, money from the family grocer, charging the same to his mother. From that time on he became more and more delinquent until it became necessary to bring him into court. Within a period of two weeks he had stolen money and jewelry from roomers in his mother’s house. On the occasion of a visit at the home of a school friend he had stolen ten dollars in money from his friend’s mother. He had been staying out until midnight and lying much, but largely to cover up his delinquencies. He had become utterly unreliable. Sent on an urgent errand he went to a picture show from which he did not return for hours. The mother, a strong and sturdy character, felt she could no longer control him. The boy’s attempted justification for his behavior was that he wanted more spending money After his case had been brought to court he was put on probation. A position was obtained for him. He worked for three weeks. He then appropriated $17 which he had collected for his employer. In spite of this it was felt the boy was not innately vicious or criminalistic, and after a rather severe reprimand, he was once more placed on probation. In the three and a half years that have elapsed since this boy was last in court, he has not stolen again, he is no longer guilty of lying and it has never been necessary to bring him into court again. The only complaint regarding him is that after working for some months, earning at times as much as $3 a day, he will be idle for a short period. Then when he has spent all his money he will be dependent on his mother and older brothers until he obtains work once more. Both he and the mother state that he does not drink and that he has never repeated his earlier offenses. The delinquency lasted for just about one year.
The heredity in this case is very remarkable. There is a history of alcoholism, criminality, insanity, and feeblemindedness in the family. The father was an alcoholic both before and after this boy’s birth, but he was the only member of the family of whom this was true. The mother is a very good woman, a strong character, sturdy and honest, intelligent and rational about her children, and very anxious to do everything possible for their welfare. The maternal grandmother had been a very good woman, but the maternal grandfather was a man of violent temper and extremely alcoholic. He had two brothers, one insane, and the other excessively alcoholic. Of the mother’s siblings two died in infancy, one was insane, two were feebleminded, one was criminalistic and a suicide, and two were normal in every way, but a son of one of these was likewise alcoholic. H’s mother had had ten children, five of whom had died in infancy or when very young. Of the five living there had been no trouble with any except H. All were older than he and all had become good men and good women, non-alcoholic, industrious and honest. The home conditions were anything but ideal, for the father had continued drinking up to the time of his death, two years before H. was brought into court. But this very fact, coupled with the mother’s teaching, had acted as a direct warning and deterrent to the children. The mother, to contribute to the support of the family, had been compelled to work away from home, thus being unable to exert much control over the boy when he was badly in need of it, but, as in Case I, this was equally true earlier, and had been the condition under which all the children had been reared.
There had been no difficulty in regard to the boy’s behavior before adolescence; he had not associated with bad companions or shown any tendency toward stealing prior to that time. What part heredity played, other than in its tendency to increase instability, is doubtful; certainly it did not affect the boy’s mental ability, for as we see, he was quite normal mentally. Indeed, apart from adolescence, it is difficult to assign a cause for his behavior, or to understand why, after a year, the stealing and lying should cease altogether. He is now proving quite capable industrially and able to take care of himself.
Case V.?Here we have an instance of adolescent instability, with bad hereditary background and added factors. The case serves, however, to illustrate that in spite of there being more complex conditions than in any of the previous cases, other factors may be minor as compared with adolescent instability, which undoubtedly in some complex cases still is the major cause. The delinquency in this case begins and terminates with the adolescent period though many of the other conditions remain identical after the delinquency has ceased. We have here again a picture of adolescent struggle quite prolonged before self-control is acquired.
E. D. was a girl fifteen years of age. Physically her general condition was quite good. When first seen her attitude was so slouchy there was thought to be a possible tendency to scoliosis. However, a specialist to whom she was sent reported this as due more to mental attitude than to any physical abnormality. This proved to be the case for, after attending a gymnasium for some time, she improved greatly and became an exceedingly attractive girl. She was overdeveloped in physical sex characteristics and there was rather early onset of puberty. There were no sensory defects and all other features of physical examination were negative. The results of repeated psychological examination were of great interest in this case, for opinions regarding the girl’s ability varied greatly. By one person she was said to be lacking in ambition and in powers of concentration, to have a poor memory, and to be difficult to teach. However, another said that when compelled to do so, she was able to accomplish tasks successfully, and that she had a good memory for whatever aroused her interest. A teacher in the school which she attended stated it as her opinion that the girl had talent and would make a good kindergarten teacher. On the basis of repeated study the conclusion was reached that E. was really rather incapable; she had a very good memory, but in independent thinking she was not at all successful. When a situation became at all complex and required powers of mental control and analysis she failed. She was unable to reconstruct knowledge once gained and apply it in similar, but slightly varying situations. She was unable to cope with a situation that required reasoning powers. Taken all in all, one was forced to the conclusion that the girl had innately poor ability, but because of good memory powers, especially regarding things taught her, she might easily be considered much brighter than testing proved her to be. Although E. was never in any grave difficulty, yet she was in court a great many times because of various troubles. The first complaints made were that E. was remaining out late at night and was associating with bad companions. Pieviously she could not have been the source of much trouble, for the parents were the kind who could exert little control or patience and they would probably have reported her earlier had she been very troublesome.
She was put on probation and placed in a good home where she showed some improvement. After remaining there a month she wished to return home, claiming that she had learned a lesson and would behave. She was allowed to do so; at the same time efforts were being made to aid the girl; she was sent for treatment to an excellent gymnasium which improved her physically very much. At home, however, there were quarrels with her parents, charges that she would not work, and that she persisted in being friendly with an undesirable young man to whom her parents objected. These difficulties led to her being brought once more to court where it was recognized that the home conditions were not favorable for this unstable adolescent girl. She was placed in a very fine school where she did well for seven months. Then at her own and her parents’ request she was permitted to return home on condition that the parents would not permit her to go out to work. She remained at home for about three months; then the parents reported the same charges of incorrigibility and laziness, and the girl was returned to school. She was there, off and on, for another six months. She was allowed during this time to visit a married sister; while there she met a young man; on her return to the school she ran away, owing, the school authorities felt, to the disturbed emotional condition caused by the visit and this new acquaintance. She was once more brought back, but was most difficult to control, though many efforts were made in her behalf. Feeling that she would gain little if she did not care to remain, she was sent home, but this failed so badly that a position was obtained for her and she was allowed to live in a working girls’ club.
Within six weeks she was back in court, having been caught just as she was about to run away with a theatrical troupe. Feeling that she could not be controlled in her own or any other home, she was then sent to a correctional institution. For some time her record was good. Then she ran away from there, only to be returned. Following this she was kept in the institution for about a year, during which time she showed steady improvement. After this period of training and control there were no further complaints regarding her. After the girl was released she continued to do well. She is now happily married and is considered by all who know her to be a good woman.
Here we see that there are several other factors besides adolescent instability, but the others seem much the less important ones. The heredity and home conditions were well and authoritatively known, not only through acquaintance with the parents, but because of the complete and accurate accounts of the probation officer. The mother and father were healthy; the mother ignorant, but well meaning; the father was a well educated man, speaking, we were told, six languages. He was, however, a man of violent, almost insane temper, abusive to his family, indolent to the extent of having been arrested once for their non-support. He was irascible, quarrelsome, utterly unappreciative of all that was done for him or his children.
J. had walked and talked normally; was considered a healthy child. When one year old she had malaria and when thirteen and a half years had scarlet fever and diphtheria. She was said to have a bad temper though ordinarily she was considered gentle. She was truthful, fond of company and not at all moody.
The conditions at home were often trying, of course, due to the father, but J. is the only one of the six children who has ever been in court, nor had she shown any indication of delinquency previous to adolescence. Then she resented the authority of her parents and had as many quarrels with her mother as with her father. In this, as in all her difficulties, her poor mentality may have been a factor, for she was definitely lacking in powers of judgment. Had she had more ability to analyze and reason, she might have been able to interpret the home situation better and to have been more adequately equipped to cope with it. Perhaps she would, too, have taken greater advantage of the excellent opportunity offered her in the school where she was placed. But J. was far from being generally considered as subnormal, and we have seen that later she was able to adjust herself to her social environment and that she is now efficiently meeting her social obligations as wife and mother. However, at the adolescent period her innately meagre intellectual gifts may have led her to be easily influenced by others and may have been a factor in inadequate will and poor self-control. Home conditions that were formerly tolerable became intolerable. Her great instability was shown moreover under other and very good conditions, such as the school she attended and the girls’ boarding club where she was tried. In this case a long period?in all about three years?elapsed between the time the girl first appeared in court and the time when she became stable and reliable enough to succeed socially.
Case VI.?We have here a case where the home conditions have been unusually good, where the individual has had much in the way of educational opportunities and very many social advantages. It illustrates that good environment and wholesome recreations, as well as intelligent and sympathetic guidance will not suffice in all cases to prevent even extreme delinquency during a stormy adolescence.
W. A., fifteen years of age, was found to be in splendid condition physically; he had won a medal for being the best all-round athlete in the school which he was attending. He was big and strong, almost completely adult in physical and sexual development. This boy was as well equipped mentally as physically. He had had unusual educational opportunities as regards both school training and other advantages and had profited by them. He was an easy talker, friendly and social in attitude toward others. His earlier school record was all that could be desired; he was considered a bright boy. Recently, however, he had grown restless and disturbed; he had failed in some of his school studies and had expressed a desire to leave school in order that he might earn his own money. He was an adopted son and when first taken to the home of his foster-parents as a very small child, he was found to be untruthful, probably largely as a matter of lack of training, for he improved quickly in this respect. Indeed, his teachers said he had a high sense of honor. Then for a period of a year he became extremely delinquent after having been trustworthy for long. During that time he not only lied in words, but he deceived his parents in numerous ways. Furthermore he stole repeatedly; first taking money from his father’s purse; then during the summer vacation, while working, he stole from the safe of his employers. Money had disappeared from the pockets of coats belonging to persons in a school near his place of employment and it was suspected that he was guilty, though he never confessed having been the culprit.
Much disturbed by this orgy of stealing, his parents sent him away to a boys’ school. He had been there but a short while when he wrote a letter to the bank in which some little money was being saved for him and tried to obtain this. Meantime he had been charging articles to himself as well as his parents at various stores. He began associating with young men who spent much money and who were quite dissipated. His own dissipations, however, were not extreme, for though he boasted of drinking with women, he drank little if at all, and his sex delinquencies certainly never amounted to much. All of this occurred within a year during which time the boy was totally unlike his former self. While he had earlier been untruthful, he had not practiced deception nor had he ever stolen previously. He had always maintained good standing in his classes without making any effort and had never previously failed in any of his studies. Now the stealing was repeated not only frequently, but committed under conditions that were most condemnatory.
A year later W., then doing well, said of himself, “I don’t know what was the matter with me last summer. I must have been pretty queer to do what I did.” By this time he was once more doing well at school, applying himself diligently in order to complete his college preparatory course and during the year his moral lapses had been few indeed. He has never returned to his former delinquencies and has by now established for himself a thoroughly good reputation. As stated above, W. was an adopted son, but there was nothing marked in the heredity, which was known to the foster parents. The only fact of any significance was that a maternal uncle was considered worthless. The experience and training during W’s first four or five years were not good, in that there was but little control exerted. But from that time on he lived in a household where there were very high ideals and he had unusual opportunities. There had been no bad influences in the way of companionship until adolescence, and then he had not sufficient moral fibre to resist the temptations to which these companions introduced him. But that his delinquencies were due largely to the instability which was then marked in his case is evidenced by the complete recovery of his former habits of rectitude and honesty. No doubt his early general physical and sex development accentuated this instability and were factors.
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