Title: Understanding The Motivation: Why Do People Join Gangs | BetterHelp
Headings: Understanding The Motivation: Why Do People Join Gangs
Understanding The Motivation: Why Do People Join Gangs
The Need to Belong
The Need to Feel Loved
Children Face Stress When Seeking to Belong
Human Needs & Gangs
People Join Gangs Because….
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Content: Gang involvement becomes attractive to filling the love needs as it allows young people to achieve a sense of belonging to a group that may be lacking. Research consistently demonstrates that much gang-involved youth lack close ties with their families, friends, and schools  (e.g., Li et al., 2002; Merrin, Hong, & Espelage, 2015; Pyrooz & Sweeten 2015). This lack of belonging and lack of feeling loved leads to young people to seek this through gang affiliation. The need to belong is never more present than during late childhood and adolescence. Children Face Stress When Seeking to Belong
The need to belong is present in the lives of so many children and adolescents. Adolescents may feel alienated from their peers. Children and adolescents may have trouble making friends due to social awkwardness or other issues associated with social situations.