Mediating Role of Drug Use History in the Relationship Between Clinical Personality Patterns and Criminal Behaviour

Abstract

The study examined the mediating role of drug use history in the relationship between clinical personality patterns and Criminal Behaviour (CB) among convicted inmates of Nigeria correctional institution (Oke-Kura) Ilorin, Kwara. A total of 450 convicted inmates participated in the study. Their age range is 18-25 years. The study employed ex post facto research design and purposive sampling techniques. The result revealed that drug use history significantly predicts criminal behaviour [f(2;375) = 11.438, p < .01], while the post-hoc result presented shows that respondents with a drug use history had the highest level of criminal behaviour (M = 24.39; SD = 8.512). The clinical personality patterns significantly predict criminal behaviour (R = .354; R² = .126; F (11) = 3.879; P < .001). The drug use history as a mediating factor significantly predicts the relationship between clinical personality patterns and criminal behaviour (b = .06, t = 3.682, p <. 01). This study also revealed that clinical personality patterns predict criminal behaviour (b = .008, t = -5.12; p < .001). It was concluded that drug use history mediates between clinical personality patterns and criminal behaviour