Family Environment as a Predictor of Adolescent Delinquency

Delinquency

Family environment as a predictor of adolescent delinquency

According to the study entitled "Family environment as a predictor of adolescent delinquency" by Monique Matherne and Adrienne Thomas (2001), juvenile delinquency has long been analyzed as a social and family-based problem, not something that is solely due to the young person's character. Availability of guns, violent television, and poor educational opportunities has all been linked to delinquent behaviors (Matherne & Thomas 2001: 656). Although most researchers would concede that delinquency is multi-factorial in its cause, there remains a great deal of debate in the academic community as to which variables predict the likelihood of the juvenile to engage in delinquent behavior. Cashwell and Vacc (1996) "have suggested that family relations might be even more important than peer relations in predicting delinquency" (Matherne & Thomas 2001: 660). The family environment has been particularly focused upon for potential causation of delinquency in recent years, with an emphasis on such factors as a lack of communication. Family composition such as being from a single parent household and family type (the extent to which the family exhibits adaptability and cohesiveness) are identified as two, critical separate factors that can contribute to delinquency.

The study attempted to evaluate previous findings about the roots of delinquency in the family structure. 127 9th graders from a medium-sized rural public high school took the Family Adaptability and Cohesiveness Evaluation Scales (FACES III), a modified self-report delinquency scale, and a short demographic questionnaire. Cohesiveness refers to the strength of the bonds between family members: whether the bonds between family members are disengaged, separated, connected or enmeshed; adaptability refers to the ability of the family to change -- whether it is rigid, structured, flexible, or chaotic (Matherne & Thomas 2001: 657). Neither extreme on either side of the scale is deemed to be beneficial. Overall there are three 'types' of families classified under this system. Ideally, families rate as moderately balanced both in terms of cohesion and adaptability -- neither completely enmeshed nor disengaged, neither rigid nor chaotic.

As well as evaluating adaptability and cohesiveness, through the other instruments the researchers were able to evaluate the extremity of the delinquency of the students and their family structure. The sample was 55% male; 45% female. Overall, the findings suggested that 29.4% had balanced family types; 40.9% were midrange (neither ideal nor extreme); while 24.9% had 'extreme' family types on the cohesiveness adaptability range (Matherne & Thomas 2001: 659).