“Tjejer försöker inte aktivt mörda varandra” : En studie om ungdomars uppfattning om våldsbrottslighet bland jämnåriga

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study was to investigate and understand how adolescents perceive juvenile delinquency among their peers. The aim was to identify and analyze potential factors influencing adolescents' perceptions. Through focusgroupinterviews, consisting of homogeneous groups of girls and boys, a deeper understanding of gender differences in the perception of juvenile delinquency was sought. The results consist of the following categories: perceptions of juvenile delinquency among adolescents, factors that may influence adolescents' perceptions of juvenile delinquency, and gender differences in the perception of juvenile delinquency. The results suggest that adolescents' perceptions are multifaceted and formed by various norms and gender stereotypes. The adolescents were unanimous in their belief that the use of violence in conflict resolution is not highly valued. However, boys' engagement in violent behavior was judged to be more frequent and serious compared to girls' violent behavior. This was because girls were associated with psychological/verbal violence, while boys were linked to physical violence. Moreover, boys emphasized a broader acceptance of psychological violence. To illuminate adolescents' perceptions, theories of social learning and differential association were applied. Interactions with different social groups can influence adolescents' perceptions. Family and peers emerged as central aspects in reinforcing or weakening perceptions of juvenile delinquency. Another significant factor was television, news, and social media. Adolescents encounter a variety of messages, where gender appears as a central variable to carefully explore concerning their perceptions of juvenile delinquency. To enhance the breadth of the results, other sampling methods may be considered for future research. An extended follow-up study could also provide detailed insight into how adolescents' perceptions change over time. Additionally, combining quantitative and qualitative methods can offer a deeper understanding and contextualization of the identified patterns and factors.