MULTIVARIANT ANALYSIS WAS USED TO STUDY 18 CHARACTERISTICS OF 148 BOYS AGED 11 TO 16 YEARS WHO HAD BEEN SENT TO A REGIONAL ASSESSMENT CENTER IN ENGLAND. MAJOR PURPOSE OF SUCH CENTERS IS TO DIAGNOSE READING PROBLEMS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS AND TO INTERVENE TO REDUCE SUBSEQUENT DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. THE FACTORS SELECTED FOR STUDY WERE THE 14 FACTORS ON THE HIGH SCHOOL PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRE OF CATTELL AND CATTELL, 1969, AND 14 FACTORS DIRECTLY RELATED TO ABSCONDING --(1) FAILURE TO RETURN FROM WEEKEND LEAVE, (2) NUMBER OF TIMES ABSCONDING, (3) RUNS AWAY ALONE, AND (4) RUNS AWAY WITH A GROUP. RESULTS SHOW THAT SOCIALLY GROUP-DEPENDENT AND RELAXED BOYS ARE LIKELY TO ABSCOND MORE FREQUENTLY AND RELAXED BOYS ARE LIKELY TO FAIL TO RETURN FROM WEEKEND LEAVE. PARENTAL CONTROL WAS ALSO RELATED TO RETURNING FROM WEEKEND LEAVES. GROUP-DEPENDENT BOYS TENDED TO DEPART IN A GROUP. SHY BOYS RUN AWAY ALONE. THIS STUDY SHOWS THAT PERSONALITIES DO PLAY A PART IN ABSCONDING BEHAVIOR BUT THAT MEASUREMENTS MADE TO DATE DO NOT GIVE A COMPLETE PICTURE OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH ABSCONDING. HOWEVER, THIS STUDY DOES INDICATE THAT GREATER EFFORTS TOWARD CONTROL NEED TO BE EXERTED TOWARD BOYS WITH A RELAXED ATTITUDE TOWARD RULES. MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO IDENTIFY OTHER, RELATED CHARACTERISTICS. TABULAR DATA DETAIL THE ANALYSIS. (GLR)