This study attempts to answer two major questions: (1) Is there any gender difference on sensation-seeking, social support, creativity and delinquency? (2) Is Farley's theory (1981, 1986) generalizable to female adolescents?Three hundred ninety-nine female junior and senior high students drawn from the Greater Taipei area were administered the Chinese Version of the following scales: (a) Zuckerman's sensation-seeking scale, form V, (b) Smilkstein's Environmental Approval Index, (c) The Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, Verbal Form and Khatena's Something About Myself. The subjects were also administered the delinquent behaviour scale developed by Wu and Yang.
The results showed that female adolescent in general scored significantly lower on sensation-seeking and delinquent behaviour. However, there was no significant difference between boys and girls on the total social support they received and creativity. Further analysis of all sub-scales revealed intriguing differences.
Farley's theory which was valid on Chinese male adolescents was generalizable to female adolescents. However, the interpretation and application of this theory must take into consideration the gender differences revealed in the above analysis of all subscales used in this study.
| Keywords: | Deliquency; Farleys Theory; Chinese Male Adolescents; Taipei; Chinese Female Adolescents |
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