NCJ Number
107096
Journal
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: (1987) Pages: 199-209
Date Published
1987
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study compared family relationships of male and female delinquents and well-adjusted adolescents from 32 intact families in Memphis, Tenn.
Abstract
Subjects were matched for demographic variables, and delinquents were matched for arrest record. Mothers, fathers, and adolescents were administered a self-report personality inventory and were observed during a family interaction task. Consistent with the extant literature, families of delinquents had low rates of facilitative information exchange, and delinquent adolescents were more dominant toward their mothers than were well-adjusted adolescents. It also was observed that fathers of delinquents were more dominant toward their wives than were fathers of well-adjusted adolescents. Mother-adolescent dyads and parents in families of female delinquents had higher rates of conflict than did their counterparts in families of male delinquents. In addition, fathers of female delinquents were more neurotic than the fathers of male delinquents. Findings provide some support for the view that the families of female delinquents are especially dysfunctional. 1 table, 47 references. (Author abstract modified)