Abstract
This studs' examines adolescents' causal attributions for their own and others' delinquent behavior and the relationship between those attributions and delinquent involvement. In addition, the impact of living in a state school for delinquents on attributions is examined. Seventy institutionalized adolescents and 69 ninth-graders completed measures of attributions and delinquent involvement. Multivariate analyses of these data indicate the following: (1) adolescents attribute both their own and others' behavior to situational over dispositional causes; (2) adolescents use both situational and dispositional attributions to a greater degree when explaining others' behavior than when explaining their own behavior; (3) institutionalization effects attributions; and (4) there is no relationship between attributions for one's own behavior and degree of involvement in that behavior.

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