Female delinquency in secondary schools: trauma and depression precipitating female delinquency and the role of ethnic identity in Cyprus.

Adolescent school violence is a serious health problem that adversely affects the learning process. Prevention of juvenile delinquency and antisocial behavior has become a major field of research and policy making worldwide.
The present study has been undertaken in an attempt to study the phenomenon of female juvenile delinquency in the schools in Cyprus since there is a lack of research on this
challenging issue and its diverse parameters. The aim of this study has been to examine the extent of the phenomenon of female juvenile delinquency in secondary schools in Cyprus and the role of gender in delinquency. Further, emotional factors precipitating delinquent behavior, specifically the role of depression and traumatic experiences have been examined. The role of ethnicity in a rapidly changing, multicultural society has also been taken into consideration.