NCJ Number
156868
Journal
Journal of Primary Prevention Volume: 14 Issue: 3 Dated: (Spring 1994) Pages: 169-186
Date Published
1994
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This review of theoretical and empirical literature on the relationship between parenting factors and juvenile delinquency concludes that the way parents treat their children can have devastating repercussions for them and for society.
Abstract
Most research on parenting and delinquency focuses on one point in time. The strongest correlates in concurrent control samples were lack of parent-child involvement, lack of supervision, discipline, and parental rejection. Overall, the concurrent studies using control groups revealed that in families with a delinquent or conduct-problem child, family relations were disturbed, parents' childrearing practices were impaired, and negative perceptions between parents and children were common. The Loeber/Stoutbamer-Loeber meta- analysis also indicated that interaction indicators tended to be more strongly associated with child conduct problems than were structural indicators such as parental absence or parental health. This and other research clearly indicate that parental detachment, inequity, and harshness can contribute to delinquency and subsequent crime. The link between child abuse and delinquency has also been demonstrated in several ways. Findings indicate the need for community-based interventions designed to enhance parental competence. 38 references