Factores de riesgo y protección de conductas delictivas en adolescentes: una revisión sistemática.

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescent delinquency has increased in recent years, negatively impacting social, economic, and individual development. This translates into family disintegration, a high number of deaths, high economic costs, and an unsafe environment. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of delinquent behavior in adolescents and its relationship with associated risk and protective factors. Methodology: A systematic review was conducted in databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest, using DeCS and MeSH terms. Studies on adolescents aged 12 to 18 were analyzed, excluding theses, blogs, and documents with little scientific evidence. Furthermore, the methodological analysis was based on the PRISMA 2020 and JBI criteria. Results: Twenty-two studies were selected from a total of 2,395 articles. The most common risk factors were parental supervision, association with delinquent peers, academic failure, school dropout, low socioeconomic status, adverse childhood experiences, neglect, substance use, impulsivity, personality traits such as histrionics and egocentrism, and male gender. On the other hand, the most relevant protective factors included functional families, prosocial relationships, high parental supervision, empathy, female gender, positive childhood experiences, and social support. However, emotional intelligence proved to be the least significant factor. Conclusion: The combination of several risk factors increases adolescents' vulnerability, leading them to make impulsive decisions and engage in delinquent behavior. However, protective factors, such as a functional family, prosocial relationships, and social support, can mitigate this impact, reducing the probability of engaging in delinquent behavior.