Gender and General Strain Theory: A Replication and Exploration of Broidy and Agnew's Gender/Strain Hypothesis Among a Sample of Southwestern Mexican American Adolescents

• NCJ Number: 228059
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 37 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2009 Pages: 404-417
• Author(s): Wesley G. Jennings; Nicole L. Piquero; Angela R. Gover; Deanna M. Perez
• Date Published: August 2009
• Length: 14 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Based on recent theoretical and empirical advancements in general strain theory (GST) research, this study examined the possible extension of GST in explaining both interpersonal aggression and property offending among 1,729 male and female Mexican-American adolescents living in the Southwestern United States.

Abstract

The study findings provided partial support for Broidy and Agnew's (1997) gender/general strain hypotheses and produced relatively similar findings in terms of gender similarities/differences as reported by Piquero and Sealock (2004). The findings indicate that although the majority of the strain measures had positive effects on both types of negative emotions measured (anger and depression), the magnitude and significance of the effects varied by negative emotions and gender; for example, although physical abuse by a parent, sibling, and/or by a stranger was significantly related to both anger and depression, only sexual abuse exerted a significant effect on anger and depression for females. In addition, criminal justice involvement was only significantly related to anger for both males and females, yet not related to depression; whereas, having low future expectations was significantly associated with depression but not anger. In the fully specified models that included all of the measures of strain, negative affect, conditioning influences, and age, the findings showed that the GST-related processes apparently operated relatively the same. In addition, only anger was found to be significantly related to both forms of offending (interpersonal aggression and property offending); depression was not. The study used secondary cross-sectional data originally collected by Chavez, Edwards, and Oetting (1989), in order to examine factors related to school dropout and delinquency among Mexican-American adolescents. Three dependent variables were measured: two types of interpersonal aggression (threatening the use of interpersonal aggression and the use of interpersonal aggression) and one scale measured property offending. Independent variables pertained to strain and negative affect. 6 tables, 7 notes, 99 references, and appendix