NCJ Number
179996
Journal
Youth and Society Volume: 31 Issue: 2 Dated: December 1999 Pages: 168-198
Date Published
1999
Length
31 pages
Annotation
Data from the Denver Youth Survey (DYS), a panel study of families in Denver, Colorado, were used to investigate the influence of family factors in predicting adolescent victimization.
Abstract
The DYS is based on an accelerated, longitudinal research design that involves a sequence of annual personal interviews with a probability sample of five birth cohorts selected from high-risk areas. At the time of the first annual survey, the birth cohorts were 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 years old. The DYS was designed to ensure that a sufficient number of serious or chronic juvenile offenders would be included in the sample of 1,530 youths. The dependent variable in the current study was self-reported adolescent victimization. Independent variables involved family-related characteristics. Statistically controlling for respondents' sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity), the study examined the predictive impact on adolescent victimization of family sociodemographic characteristics, family vulnerability to victimization, parental involvement in violent behavior and substance use, parental discipline and monitoring practices, and the climate of interaction in the family. Results show that the family context (particularly parental problem behavior), family involvement, adolescent social isolation from the family, and positive parenting practices were predictive of adolescent victimization. Other possible contributing factors in adolescent victimization were parental victimization, parental monitoring, and attachment to parents. The best predictors of victimization, however, were prior victimization and gender. Overall, victimization was only weakly explained by the family variables included in this analysis. 4 tables and 55 references