NCJ Number
209465
Journal
Criminology Volume: 43 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2005 Pages: 177-210
Date Published
February 2005
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This study examined the influence of romantic relationships on adolescent delinquency.
Abstract
Previous research has established the importance of peer relationships on the development of adolescent delinquency, yet little research attention has been focused on the role of romantic relationships in the etiology of delinquency. The research literature on romantic relationships underscores their importance to adolescent development. This study expands this research literature by examining the role of romantic partners in adolescent delinquency. Data were drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a national survey of students in 129 randomly selected schools stratified by region, urbanicity, school type, ethnic mix, and size. Data were analyzed on 2,945 students who engaged in minor deviance and on 1,321 students who engaged in serious delinquency. Results of descriptive and multivariate analyses indicated that romantic partners’ delinquency exerted a unique influence on respondents’ delinquency; this relationship remained significant after controlling for friends’ delinquency and other relevant control variables. Moreover, the delinquency of a romantic partner had a greater influence on female involvement in minor deviance than vice versa. This gender difference was not observed for more serious forms of delinquency. Future research should engage in longitudinal analyses of the relationship between romantic relationships and delinquency in order to understand the changes over the life course. Tables, references