Factors associated with perceived containment

There is growing evidence indicating that a lack of perceived containment, or youth's beliefs about whether adults can control their behavior, is associated with problem behavior. However, little research has examined factors that may contribute to perceived containment, which would be helpful in further tailoring prevention and intervention efforts for problem behavior. The current study evaluated associations between callous-unemotional (C/U) traits, peer delinquency, neighborhood problems, and perceived containment. Associations were examined using a sample of detained youth. Findings indicated that while all three factors were correlated with perceived containment, only C/U traits (particularly the callousness and uncaring subscales) and peer delinquency were uniquely associated with perceived containment. Further, C/U traits did not moderate the links between peer delinquency or neighborhood problems and perceived containment. This study supports the influence of both individual and contextual factors on perceived containment, suggesting multiple factors to target for prevention and intervention.