NCJ Number
98697
Journal
Journal of Adolescence Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1985) Pages: 145-157
Date Published
1985
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This analysis of juveniles' violent behavior toward their parents found that such violence correlated with violence between other family members, low levels of family functioning, and involvement in deviant peer group activity.
Abstract
Students from four high school classes and delinquents referred to a juvenile justice center comprised the research sample. A total of 305 youths completed a questionnaire that solicited demographic data and information on family functioning, parental aggressive behavior toward the youth, peer group relations, violence committed while in a peer group setting, and school< functioning. An instrument developed by Gelles and Straus (1979) to measure levels of family violence was used as part of the questionnaire. The questionnaire had five questions related to each of the following types of incidents: parental violence toward child, youth violence against a parent, youth violence against siblings, youth and peer violence toward nonintimates, and youth violence against nonintimates with the youth acting alone. The families of the respondents were classified as having high, moderate, or low levels of family functioning, and these levels were correlated with the amount of violent behavior shown by the youths. Violence by the youths toward their parents was concentrated in families with high levels of violence between parents, between parents and children, and between siblings. Youth violence toward families also correlated with low levels of family functioning characterized by disagreements over money matters, inappropriate disciplining of children, few family sharing activities, and alcohol abuse. Youths involved in deviant peer group activity also manifested higher levels of violence toward parents than youths without deviant peer group involvement. Tabular study data and 14 references are provided.