The National Youth Survey (NYS) is a study of deviant behavior in a representative national youth panel (N=1725) which was aged 11-17 when first interviewed in 1977. This panel was reinterviewed annually for four subsequent years (1976-1981) and again in 1984. At the last interview (wave 6) youth in the panel were aged 18-24. This application is for an extension of the NYS for a seventh wave of data collection from the panel in 1987 when the panel members will be aged 21-27. The general objective of this newest data collection wave is to document the psychosocial developmental changes and behavioral role transitions occurring during the early adult years (i.e., the 21-27 age range) and to examine the relationship between these changes and the initiation, continuity and termination of individual's involvement in various forms of deviant or problem behavior. There are three specific objectives of the proposed extension of the NYS: 1) to test the generality of a social psychological model which provided a relatively good explanation for deviant behavior during the adolescent years by examining its power to explain such behavior during the early adult years; 2) to describe the dynamics and developmental progression of deviant/problem behavior patterns over the entire 11-27 age range with a particular focus upon changes in initiation, continuity and termination rates during the early adult years; and 3) to examine the relationship between deviance proneness, deviant behavior, and the use of community mental health services. The theoretical model integrates traditional strain, social control and social learning perspectives. This explanation focuses upon internal controls (e.g., personal values, beliefs, perceived norms, and moral commitments) and external controls (e.g., involvement with and attachment to conventional and deviant others who provide social reinforcements and modeling for conventional and deviant acts). Types of deviant/problem behavior examined are: 1) violent antisocial behaviors e.g, simple and aggravated assault, sexual assault, and domestic violence; 2) non-violent but illegal behaviors which include theft, illegal services (e.g., prostitution and selling drugs) public disorder, and property destruction; 3) alcohol and illicit drug use with a focus upon dysfunctional/problem related substance use; and 4) deviant sexual activity.
