This dissertation introduces a social exchange perspective of intention to quit and examines the relationship of several work-related and non work-related variables with intention to quit. Specifically, the relationships between the following ? perceived organizational support (POS), perceived supervisor support (POS), family responsibility, kinship responsibility ? and intention to quit were examined. POS and PSS were examined to provide a better understanding of the role each plays in the development of intention to quit. Family responsibility and kinship responsibility were examined because prior research has generally ignored the role each may play in the development of intention to quit. A cross-sectional design was utilized and data was collected from three prison sites within the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) using a questionnaire. Correctional officers at each of the three sites were asked to complete a questionnaire, were told their participation was voluntary and their responses would be held in complete confidentiality, and were given time during working hours to complete the questionnaire. The data collection yielded 392 usable questionnaires. Hierarchical regression was used to analyze the hypotheses. By utilizing social exchange theory, this dissertation provided a broader theoretical perspective of intention to quit by allowing the inclusion of work-related and non work-related variables. The results provided support for the role POS and PSS play in the development of intention to quit. Specifically, POS and PSS do not appear to have a direct effect on intention to quit. Rather, the relationship seems to be fully mediated by job satisfaction and organizational commitment. No support was found indicating family responsibility or kinship responsibility had an effect on intention to quit. However, possible limitations concerning the measurement of family responsibility and kinship responsibility were noted and further development of these measures may be necessary.

The thesis deals with the sphere of a dual point of view to the importance of the child for the family. The first point of view considers the child to be a limiting factor (burden) and the second one to be a possible source of income (advantage). The thesis consists of theoretical and practical part. The aim of the thesis is to describe the current situation on the field of social (and family) policies in relation to families and to explicate, if their provisions can really affect, possibly to what degree, the attitude of the families to parenthood

Il lavoro di ricerca si focalizza sui modelli di giustizia e sulla devianza in adolescenza. Obiettivo è quello di mettere a fuoco alcuni elementi cruciali che intervengono come fattori protettivi e fattori di rischio nel comportamento adolescenziale. Nello specifico è indagato il ruolo svolto da variabili familiari, dalla giustizia procedurale, dalle emozioni e dal bisogno di riparazione. I contributi empirici utilizzano metodologie diverse: partendo da un lavoro esplorativo e passando attraverso la validazione di uno strumento di misurazione della giustizia procedurale il lavoro giunge alle analisi confermative su un modello teorico. Il primo studio qualitativo indaga le narrazioni e i significati attribuiti, da parte di adolescenti autori di reato, a tematiche familiari, emotive e di giustizia. Il secondo offre un contributo alla validazione italiana della Family Procedural Justice Scale (Fondacaro, Jackson, & Luescher, 2002), uno strumento self-report volto a misurare la giustizia procedurale in famiglia. Il terzo si occupa di proseguire nella direzione generata dagli studi precedenti e, attraverso analisi confermative sul modello teorico proposto, evidenzia il ruolo protettivo della percezione di giustizia procedurale in famiglia, della legittimità parentale, del bisogno di riparazione e delle emozioni di vergogna reintegrativa e colpa, mentre individua come fattore di rischio l’associazione a pari devianti. / The research focuses on the models of justice and delinquency in adolescence. The primary goal is to focus on crucial elements that act as protective and risk factors in adolescent behavior. Specifically, the role played by family variables, procedural justice, emotions and reparation is investigated. The empirical contributions use different methodologies: starting from an exploratory work and going through the validation of a procedural justice measuring instrument, the research comes to confirmatory analysis on a theoretical model. The first qualitative study explores the narratives and meanings attributed by adolescents offenders to family, emotional and justice issues. The second is a contribution to the Italian validation of the Family Procedural Justice Scale (Fondacaro, Jackson, & Luescher, 2002), a self-report instrument designed to measure procedural justice in the family. The third study continues in the direction generated by previous studies and, through confirmatory analysis on the proposed theoretical model, highlights the protective role of family procedural justice, parents legitimacy, need for reparation, reintegrative shame and guilt, whereas the association to deviant peers is identified as a risk factor.