NCJ Number
234969
Journal
Journal of Crime and Justice Volume: 34 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2011 Pages: 3-23
Date Published
March 2011
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study explored factors that could affect the parent-child bond, leading to different outcomes for delinquent behavior based on gender.
Abstract
The consensus of contemporary research indicates that adolescents who have healthy relationships with their parents are less likely to be involved in delinquency. While a great deal of research points to the importance of the parent-child bond in reducing delinquent involvement, few studies have explored gender as a construct that might contribute to our understandings of how the parent-child bond affects adolescent delinquency. Because most research suggests that sons and daughters have different relationships with their parents, it is likely that there are gender differences in the parent-child bond. In addition, such gender variations in the parent-child bond may contribute to significant differences in delinquency. In the current project, I utilize a large sample of adolescents to explore the ways gender differences in the parent-child bond contribute to the gender gap in delinquency. This study extends on prior research by examining several constructs related to the parent-child bond including emotional attachment, time spent with parents, and parental monitoring. Results suggest that parental bonding differs for young men and women and this can affect their delinquent involvement. Furthermore, the gender gap in delinquency can be at least partially explained by gender differences in parental bonding. (Published Abstract)