Emotional Intelligence, Aggressiveness, and Impulsivity in Delinquent and Law-Abiding Adolescents

The article presents the results of a study on emotional intelligence, impulsivity, aggressiveness, and risk propensity in adolescents with different levels of social adaptation. The study involved 92 male adolescents aged 15–16 years: 46 delinquent adolescents held in a juvenile correctional facility and 46 law-abiding school students. Validated psychodiagnostic tools were used for assessment: the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (EmIn; D. V. Lyusin), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11; Russian adaptation by D. S. Shumskaya et al.), the Buss—Perry Aggression Questionnaire (Russian adaptation by M. M. Lobaskova et al.), and the Risk Propensity Assessment Method (G. Schubert, adapted by M. A. Kotik). The results showed that delinquent adolescents exhibited higher levels of impulsivity, aggressiveness, and risk propensity. Emotional intelligence demonstrated significant regulatory functions only within the group of law-abiding adolescents. In the delinquent group, the link between emotional intelligence and behavioral indicators was weakened, which is interpreted as a sign of emotional disorganization and disrupted self-regulation mechanisms. The findings can be used in the development of prevention programs for deviant behavior and individualized psychocorrection for adolescents at social risk.