Problem/ Purpose: Delinquent behavior is a concern during the period of adolescence. In 2009, there were approximately 2 million arrests of youth under the age of 18 (Puzzachera & Adams, 2011). Although a majority of delinquent activity desists by late-adolescence (Agnew, 2003; Hirschi & Gottfredson, 1983; Moffitt, 1993), many adolescents continue this behavior into young adulthood (Hoeve et al., 2008; Mulvey, 2011; Piquero, Hawkins et al., 2012). Since, familial factors are one of the most important when considering delinquent behavior (Nye, 1958), this study explores how familial processes (e.g. parental control and parent-adolescent relationship) along with other factors relate to adolescent delinquency and young adult criminal behavior. Theoretical Framework: Social Learning Theory (Akers, 1973; Bandura, 1977), Baumrind's parenting typology (1965), Social Control Theory (Nye, 1958), and life course perspective (Elders, 1985) are used as theoretical guides in establishing a relationship between parental control, parent-adolescent relationships, delinquency, and criminal behavior. Methods/Design: This study used participant information concerning parental control, parent-adolescent relationship, delinquency, and criminal behavior from Waves I, II, and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Analysis: Negative binomial regression was used in conjunction with "Svy" estimation method in Stata to analyze the data. Results: It was found that parental control had a negative relationship with delinquency (b = -.048, 95% CI [-.087, -.008], exp(b) or OR =.954, p < .05) (H1). Also, a curvilinear relationship between parental control and delinquency was found (b = .029, 95% CI [.001, .056], OR =1.03, p < .05) (H2). Regarding covariates, older (b =-.048, 95% CI [-.077, -.019], OR = .953, p < .01) and female adolescents (b =-.665, 95% CI [-.748, -.582], OR = .514, p < .01) reported lower odds of engaging in delinquent behavior than younger and male adolescents. Latino (b= .272, 95% CI [.138, .405], OR =1.31, p < .01) and Asian (b= .220, 95% CI [.034, .406], OR =1.25, p < .01) adolescents reported higher odds of engaging in delinquent behavior than White adolescents. Adolescents who were living in a single mother family (b = .327, 95% CI [.226, .428], OR =1.39, p < .01), single father family (b= .613, 95% CI [.413, .812, OR =1.85, p < .01), stepfamily (b= .252, 95% CI [.149, .354], OR =1.29, p < .01), or other family structures (b =.300, 95% CI [.111, .489], OR =1.35, p < .01) reported higher odds of engaging in delinquent behavior than adolescents who were living in a two biological parent family.. Adolescents who reported more peer influence had higher odds of engaging in delinquent behavior (b= .100, 95% CI [.068, .131], OR =1.11, p < .01). Parental education was not significantly relate to adolescent delinquent behavior. No moderating effects were found by parent-adolescent relationship, gender, and race between parental control and delinquency. Delinquency was found to peak during mid-adolescence. Finally, delinquency did not mediate the association between parental control in adolescence and adult criminal behavior. Implications of the findings were discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2013. / March 5, 2013. / Criminal Behavior, Delinquency, Parent-adoelscent relationship, Parental
control / Includes bibliographical references. / Ming Cui, Professor Directing Dissertation; Eric Stewart, University Representative; Lenore McWey, Committee Member; Ronald Mullis, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_183746 |
| Contributors | Harris-Mckoy, Deanna E. (authoraut), Cui, Ming (professor directing dissertation), Stewart, Eric (university representative), McWey, Lenore (committee member), Mullis, Ronald (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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