Date of Award

8-2006

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Dr. Rachel Bridges Whaley

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how parenting style interacts with other variables related to characteristics of the child (i.e., race/ethnicity, class and gender) in producing delinquency. This research integrates the traditions of criminology and psychology by incorporating the research of two researchers renowned in their respective fields of study, Travis Hirschi from criminology and Diana Baumrind from psychology.

The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997 (NLSY97) is used in this study to test hypotheses derived from Hirschi's (1969) social bond theory and Baumrind's (1966) parenting typology. These hypotheses examine the effects of family process variables and parenting styles on adolescent delinquencymoderated by the effect of the child's race/ethnicity and gender, and class of the family. Based on OLS Regression results of the study revealed there was a negative relationship between most, but not all of the family process variables and delinquency. As hypothesized, as parent-youth relationship, communication, monitoring and limit setting increased, delinquency decreased. In other analyses authoritative parenting compared to authoritarian and neglectful parentingresulted in less delinquency. When separate equations were estimated this pattern of findings held for Whites and Blacks but not Latinos. White and Blackadolescents with a neglectful or authoritarian mom were more likely to be delinquent than White and Black adolescents with an authoritative mom. Dadparenting was only significant for Whites indicating that adolescents with authoritarian dads were more likely to be delinquent than Whites with authoritative dads. There was no effect of parenting on Latino respondents.

Similar results were revealed when separate equations were estimated for males and females. That is, males and females with a neglectful or authoritarian mom were more likely to be delinquent than males and females with an authoritative mom. Dad parenting was only significant for males indicating those with authoritarian dads were more likely to be delinquent than males with authoritative dads. T-statistics indicated there were no significant differences betweenmales and females.

Class of the family did not have an effect and there was no interaction between the parenting styles and class. However, this could be attributed to its poor measurement.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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