Researchers have demonstrated that several risk factors are linked to adolescent delinquency, but less is known about how these factors are specifically linked to female adolescent delinquency. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a history of maltreatment and perceived family support were associated with serious offending for female adolescents (after controlling for family structure, age of first offense, race, and socio-economic status) using secondary data from the Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS) of Florida. Hirschi's (1969) social control theory was used to help illuminate the underlying pattern of family processes associated with female adolescent delinquency. The sample consisted of 1,160 adolescent females who were aged 14-17 years old, who had a referral to the Department of Juvenile Justice between July 1, 2009 and February 1, 2012, and had completed the Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT) Full Assessment. Logistic regression was used to better understand which family processes were associated with serious delinquency after controlling for family structure, age of first offense, race/ethnicity, and socio-economic status. Results indicated no forms of maltreatment were significantly associated with serious delinquency. In fact, the only significant association was an inverse relationship between self-perceived support of extended family and serious delinquency. Future research could help illuminate trends related to serious delinquency by consistently utilizing more specific and consistent definitions of the variables included in this study. Clinical implications of these findings include promoting and strengthening family support among at-risk youth using a variety of evidence-based therapeutic interventions. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2012. / October 4, 2012. / delinquency, family support, logistic regression, maltreatment / Includes bibliographical references. / Lenore McWey, Professor Directing Dissertation; Carter Hay, University Representative; Ann Mullis, Committee Member; Wayne Denton, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_183226 |
| Contributors | Bolen, Melissa Grace (authoraut), McWey, Lenore (professor directing dissertation), Hay, Carter (university representative), Mullis, Ann (committee member), Denton, Wayne (committee member), Department of Family and Child Sciences (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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