Risk factors associated with transgressive behaviors among university students in Manta, Ecuador: an exploratory study

Abstract

Juvenile delinquency in Ecuador represents one of the most alarming problems in recent years, with a sustained increase in the participation of young people in criminal acts. Social, family, and environmental factors have been associated with the exposure of young people to risky contexts, especially in coastal cities such as Manta, where violence and recruitment by criminal groups has become increasingly prevalent. The objective of this study was to analyze the social and environmental factors associated with self-reported criminal behavior among university students in the city of Manta. A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study was conducted with 157 university students. A non-probability convenience sample was used in an anonymous online survey structured in three sections: sociodemographic data, social and environmental factors, and self-reported behaviors. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS v26, employing chi-square tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and multivariate binary logistic regression. Male gender was significantly associated with the presence of criminal behaviors (OR = 10.3; 95% CI: 4.06–26.12; p < 0.001), while employment showed a protective effect (OR = 0.32; 95% CI: 0.11–0.95; p = 0.039). Associations were also found between dropping out of school (p = 0.012) and knowledge of recruitment (p = 0.011) with risk behaviors. In conclusion, the social and environmental factors analyzed are significantly related to the presence of self-reported criminal behavior.