TY - CHAP AB - Purpose We test the proposition that criminal sentiments, which we define as a negative and potent view of a juvenile delinquent (JD), moderate the effect of a delinquency adjudication on self-sentiments. We expect criminal sentiments to reduce self-evaluation and increase self-potency among juvenile delinquents but have no effect on self-sentiments among non-delinquents. We also examine the construct validity of our measure of criminal sentiments by assessing its relationship to beliefs that most people devalue, discriminate against, and fear JDs.Methodology We test these hypotheses with self-administered survey data from two samples of college students and one sample of youths in an aftercare program for delinquent youths. We use endogenous treatment-regression models to identify and reduce the effects of endogeneity between delinquency status and self-sentiments.Findings Our construct validity assessment shows, as expected, that criminal sentiments are positively related to beliefs that most people devalue, discriminate against, and fear JDs. Our focal analyses support our self-evaluation predictions but not our self-potency predictions.Practical implications Our findings suggest that the negative effect of a delinquency label on JDs’ self-esteem depends on the youths’ view of the delinquency label.Originality/value This study is the first to test a modified labeling theory proposition on juvenile delinquents. VL - 34 SN - 978-1-78743-192-8, 978-1-78743-193-5/0882-6145 DO - 10.1108/S0882-614520170000034002 UR - https://doi.org/10.1108/S0882-614520170000034002 AU - Kroska Amy AU - Lee James Daniel AU - Carr Nicole T. PY - 2017 Y1 - 2017/01/01 TI - Juvenile Delinquency, Criminal Sentiments, and Self-Sentiments: Exploring a Modified Labeling Theory Proposition T2 - Advances in Group Processes T3 - Advances in Group Processes PB - Emerald Publishing Limited SP - 21 EP - 47 Y2 - 2024/03/28 ER -