Does Authoritative Parenting Impact Juvenile Delinquency?

...

Hirschi’s premise as it relates to aggressive and deviant behavior suggests that we all are develop feelings and act out of aggression and selfishness early on in childhood, through our interactions with family, peers, and the world, in which we tend to take from others with force things we desire, want to have things our way, and negatively attention seek (Hirshi, 1969). For example, when a child is at play with other children, if the child desires to play with a toy another child has, the child walks over and takes the toy from the other child, and if the other child seeks to gain the item back, it is denied and a slight conflict arises. The child who took the toy did not have a long term goal to take the toy and the child does not have to be exposes (may have not been exposed at all) to aggressive or deviant behavior to display such an act that could be considered “stealing” from the other child, but rather, such acts are a part of human innate nature. As care givers respond to the child’s acts, setting boundaries, correcting, nurturing the right response, or doing none of this and not responding at all, the child learns how to control or not control urges (Hirschi, 1960).

Social Control Theory asks the question of “why do we not commit criminal acts”?, and answers such a question by implying that people do not commit such acts by means of developed social control/bonds, in which we learn to pro-social values/morals, from pro-social people and pro-social institutions. Bonds show their faces in four forms: attachments (level of affection and warmth one has for pro-social people and institutions- crimes are not committed because persons fear letting their families-parents- communities, schools, etc. down), commitment (value for relationships with others and do not want to jeopardize such relationships by committing crime or breaking laws), involvement (engaging in pro-social events with like persons as not to be idle and engaging in criminal acts), and belief (values are so important to us that we refrain from dishonoring or breaking them) (Brown, Wyatt and Jennings 2013). Social control theory also supports the notion of informal social control, in which even when the chances of us not getting caught for law breaking behavior, social bonds indirectly aid us in refraining from engaging in deviant acts. This theory supports my research idea by suggesting that with authoritative parenting, respect for laws is developed and decreases risk for juvenile delinquency.

Developmental Antecedents to Delinquency

Although there are several paths to juvenile delinquency, family (environment and parenting) have shown to be the greatest influential factor for both negative and positive behavior in adolescents (Garcia & Gracia, 2009). Research on familial risk factors for adolescent delinquency suggest that as family problems and dysfunction rises, so does adolescent risk for delinquency and behavioral health concerns (Grunwald, Lockwood, Harris, & Mennis, 2010). Adolescence is a sensitive phase in development, and when adolescents experience family problems on a continuous basis it tends to drastically alter development. There are three distinct pathways of development as it relates to delinquency: authority control (begins with selfishness and stubbornness, then defiance, and developing into avoidance and resentment towards authority figures- breaking home rules, truancy, running away), covert (starts with stealing, dishonesty, shoplifting and moves towards property damage and delinquency- fraud, theft, aggression, and burglary),and overt (begins with mild aggression-teasing and bullying- and proceeds to violent acts and fighting- rape and physical assault) (Loeber & Jeffrey, 2011). Adolescents that exhibit two or more pathways usually are at a higher risk for juvenile delinquency, and studies have shown that family risk factors such as poor family attachment and poor parenting practices are antecedents of developmental pathways to delinquency (Loeber & Jeffrey, 2011).

Parenting Styles as a Risk Factor

Interest in a cause and effect relationship between delinquency and parenting is a complex task. My study seeks to add to research by examining the effects of authoritative parenting on juvenile delinquency. Cenkseven Ṏnder and Yilmaz (2012) suggest that investigations concerning quality of parental support, a key factor of development in influencing adolescent behavior and wellbeing among black adolescent males, are limited. My study will examine the relationship between parenting styles/control and black male adolescent aggression, violence, and delinquency. While previous research has been conducted on the influence of parenting on adolescent delinquent behavior, my study defines parenting style as parental responsiveness (the amount of warmth, acceptance, and involvement) and demandingness (the amount of control, supervision, and maturity demands exerted by the parent) (Garcia & Gracia, 2009; Batool, 2013).

(Parenting Styles)

There are four parenting styles attributed to child development. Authoritarian parents rule with an iron fist. Under authoritarian parenting, adolescents are required and expected to adhere to very strict standards and rules in the home, community, and school settings, and if they do not strict punishment is rendered. Status as the authority figure and obedience by the adolescent are the driving forces behind this style of parenting. The relationship between the parent and child tends to be strained due to the parent often relaying minimal warmth and support for the child and the child feeling controlled and rebellious (Hoeve, Blokland, Dubas, Loeber, Gerris, & van der Laan, 2008; Moitra & Mukherjee, 2010; Williams & Steinberg, 2011). Authoritarian parenting has been linked with moderate levels of increases in juvenile delinquency among both male and female adolescents, and has shown to rear adolescents who are obedient and proficient but who are very unhappy and who struggle with self-esteem issues (Allengawi, Naser, & Sandman, 2012).

Authoritative parenting style is mildly similar to authoritarian parenting; they both seek to set boundaries with rules and guidelines for the adolescent. Distinct from authoritarian, authoritative parents respond to their child’s needs in a warm, caring, and understanding manner, and are more willing to listen to issue of concerns, feelings, and questions (Garcia & Gracia, 2009). With authoritative parenting, children are held accountable for undesirable behaviors, but also nurtured and forgiven, which leads to perceptions of support for adolescents (Garcia & Gracia, 2009). Garcia and Gracia (2009) examined which parenting