NCJ Number
204207
Journal
Family Process Volume: 42 Issue: 2 Dated: Summer 2003 Pages: 223-235
Date Published
2003
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article examines the combined and unique ability of different aspects of family functioning to predict involvement in antisocial behavior.
Abstract
Studies of antisocial behavior almost exclusively focus on males and are often conducted with selected samples: adolescents that live in high-risk neighborhoods, youth offenders, or clinical samples. This study extends previous work by examining antisocial behavior in a community sample, including adolescents of both genders. The sample consisted of 508 families with an adolescent (254 females and 254 males). Three age groups were included: early adolescence (12 and 13 years old), middle adolescence (14 and 15 years old), and late adolescence (between 16 and 18 years). Distinction was made between global (family socioeconomic status), distal (dispositional characteristics of parents), contextual (family characteristics), and proximal (parent-child interaction) factors that operate within families. The bivariate analysis showed that, with exception of global factors, they were all related to adolescent involvement in antisocial behavior. Two global indicators of family functioning (socioeconomic status and family composition) were unrelated to adolescent antisocial behavior. It appears that supportive parents, parents that use more subtle means of guidance, and parents that are consistent in their behavior toward adolescents, have a lower risk that their child would become involved in antisocial behavior. The negative quality of the parent-adolescent relationship, such as the relationship characterized by elevated levels of conflict and a lack of closeness and acceptance, emerged as a risk factor for involvement in antisocial behavior. A high level of adolescent antisocial behavior is related to parental feelings of depression and incompetence. It appears that a great number of indicators of family functioning are associated with antisocial behavior in adolescence. These indicators of family functioning are interdependent and their roles may be confounded. 3 tables, 1 footnote, 37 references