Family Conflict, - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Family Conflict, Deviant Peer Association & Adolescent Delinquent Behavior: A Mediational Model

Allegra NevinsSlide2

Juvenile Delinquency“The violation of a law of the United States committed by a person prior to their eighteenth birthday which would have been a crime if committed by an adult.”

- United States Department of Justice, 2015 Slide3

Prevalence of Juvenile DelinquencyRecently there has been an increase in serious crime by juveniles, including more violent acts, such as murder (Roberts, 2000)

Gangs are evolving particularly fast and recent studies suggest that up to

64%

of youth in gangs have committed violent crimes

(Wong,

Toh

, Hung &

Ang

, 2013)

Increase in physical aggression and gang affiliation in young girls

(

Snethen

&

Puymbroeck

, 2008)

Adolescent sexual offenders are currently responsible for at least

20%

of reported forcible rapes and child molestations in the United States

(Burton, Miller & Shill, 2002)Slide4

Why We CareFinancial and emotional tolls on individuals and society

Individuals who become involved in the juvenile justice system are at a higher risk of being “trapped” in a life of crime due to future inability to find employment (

Pardini

, 2016)

Adolescents who engage in significant delinquent behavior are also at “high risk for experiencing multiple deleterious outcomes” in adulthood, including mental and physical health problems, and relationship difficulties (

Pardini

, 2016)Slide5

Social Learning Theory

(Akers, 1975; Bandura, 1971)

Regarded as one of the most dominant theories in crime

Key Points:

We learn behavior by either directly or vicariously experiencing

consequences

Some consequences are reinforcing while others are punishing

We perform behaviors either deliberately or inadvertently through

the influence of example or modeling

Parents are most influential for children

Peer groups are most influential for adolescents

We choose behaviors that are most likely to have positive outcomes

Behavior is maintained by previous positive experiences and positive

anticipated consequences Slide6

Social Learning Theory (cont.)Akers (1985) stresses the importance of differential association in social learning, which supports Bandura’s (1971) suggestion that people attend more accurately and closely to models whom they associate with to modeled behaviors with higher perceived functional value

In effect, the probability of engaging in crime and deviance is higher for people who associate with others who engage in deviance or elicit favorable attitudes towards deviance (Akers, 1985).Slide7

Correlates of Delinquent BehaviorDeviant peer associationPeers with substance use problems, aggressive/destructive behaviors, and nonaggressive/rule-breaking behavior (Trudeau et al., 2012)

High family conflict

Unsupportive and unhelpful family members, a lack of “togetherness”, neglect, domestic violence, trauma, arguments/fights, abuse (sexual, physical and emotional)Slide8

Why high family conflict and deviant peer association?The importance ascribed to these specific variables lies “in their relevance to the process of child development and socialization, and their crucial role in internalizing attitudes and acquiring behaviors” (

Cutrin

et al., 2015, p. 59).

Explained by social learning

Modeling of and the reinforcement of delinquent behaviors

Deviant peer groups may reinforce maladaptive, delinquent acts while punishing or ignoring prosocial behaviors (

Snethen

& Van

Puymbroeck

, 2008).

Aggressive families tend to produce aggressive children (Bandura, 1971), and parents with criminal histories tend to have children who develop criminal histories (

Pardini

, 2016)

Studies have displayed a positive correlation between family conflict and deviant peer association (

Pardini

, 2016)

Some studies suggest there may be a causal link between poor parental monitoring (a hallmark of family conflict) and deviant peer association later on in life

(

Ary

, Duncan, T., Duncan, S., & Hops, 1999). Slide9

Mediational ModelSlide10

Hypotheses (Adapted from Baron & Kenny, 1986)

Family conflict and deviant peer association are significantly correlated.

Family conflict and behavior are significantly correlated.

Deviant peer association and delinquent behavior are correlated.

In a hierarchical regression analysis, deviant peer association significantly predicts delinquent behavior, and the relationship between family conflict and delinquent behavior becomes nonsignificantSlide11

Participants

155 participants were recruited from

Crossroads Juvenile Center

Secure detention center

in Brooklyn, New York

Reserved for youth who pose the highest risk

Reserved for youth who have been accused of committing serious offenses

These facilities have the most restrictive security features

Average age = 15 years

60% male, 40% female

Racially diverse

Socioeconomically diverse

At least 7 years of educationSlide12

MeasuresFamily Cohesion Subscale of Family Environment Scale (Moos, 1974)

9 items, true-or-false

Internationally used for adolescents- valid and reliable

Example item “There is little group spirit in our family.”

Deviant Peer Association Scale (Trudeau et al., 2013)

15 questions, 4-point scale from 1 (none of the time) to 4 (all of the time)

Stem – “During the past 12 months, how many of your friends have…”

Subscales: Substance use (

e.g

“used marijuana”), aggressive/destructive behavior (e.g. “Hit someone with the idea of hurting them”), nonaggressive/rule-breaking behavior (e.g. “Cheated on a test.”)

High interrater reliability on all subscales (.91, .82, and .91, respectively)

Deviant Behavior Variety Scale (

Sanches

et al., 2016)

19 yes-or-no questions (yes-> 1, no-> 0)

Valid and reliable self-report measure to evaluate adolescent’s involvement in deviance

Stem- “During the last year, have you ever…”

Example item: “Used a motorbike or car to go for a ride without the owner’s permission?”Slide13

Results (Significant)High family conflict was significantly and positively correlated with deviant peer association (r = .87) and delinquent behavior (r = 0.79)Deviant peer association was significantly and positively correlated with delinquent behavior (r = 0.92).

Regression analysis indicated that when controlling for deviant peer association, the correlation between high family conflict and delinquent behavior became nonsignificant.

Gathered together, the data support the hypothesis that deviant peer association mediates the pathway between high family conflict and delinquent behavior.Slide14

Discussion (Significant Results)Results supported a mediational model in which deviant peer association mediates the relationship between family conflict and delinquent behavior

Best predictor of delinquent behavior is deviant peer association, and family conflict predicts such associations

Results were consistent with past findings that parental influence declines and peer influence increases as individuals transition from childhood to adolescence

This shift in influence is likely due to the fact that the adolescent is spending more time with peers and that peer approval becomes increasingly important with age.

Thus, whereas kids model and adapt behavior from family members in childhood, likely leading them to form their initial deviant peer associations, adolescents take part in and are reinforced by committing delinquent acts within their established deviant peer group. Slide15

Intervention Implications (Significant Results)

Can target juvenile delinquency at two points:

Childhood

Focus on

family

conflict

, not deviant peer association

Parents have the most influence

Goal:

Prevent initial association with negative peer

groups (and thus subsequent delinquent

behavior)

Suggestions

Promoting and modeling prosocial behavior

Adolescence

Focus on

deviant peer association

, not family conflict

Peers have the most influence

Goal

: Dismantle reinforcing aspects of delinquent

behavior

Suggestions:

Highlight future negative consequences of delinquent behaviorSlide16

Results (Nonsignificant)High family conflict was significantly and positively correlated with delinquent behavior (r = 0.79)Deviant peer association was significantly and positively correlated with delinquent behavior (r = 0.92)

There was no significant correlation between high family conflict and deviant peer association.

Data did not support the hypothesis that deviant peer association mediates the relationship between family conflict and delinquent behavior.Slide17

Discussion (Nonsignificant)Rather than high family conflict causing an individual to form deviant peer relationships in adolescence, it is possible that high family conflict and deviant peer association

independently

predict delinquent behavior.Slide18

Intervention Implications (Nonsignificant)Important to include components that target

both

family conflict and deviant peer associations!

Of course, treatment will be tailored to the individual and more emphasis will be placed on whichever variable is the most salientSlide19

Future ResearchIN BOTH CASES:What interventions are the most effective?

If significant findings:

Replicate the study using adolescents who are not already in a detention center, but show “trouble making” tendencies, to see if these findings can be generalized to all adolescents

If nonsignificant findings:

Try

using a

moderational

model to explain the relationship between family conflict, deviant peer association and delinquent behaviorSlide20

Questions?Slide21

ReferencesAkers, R. L. (1985).

Deviant behavior: A social learning approach

(3

rd ed

).

Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Ary

, D. V., Duncan, T. E., Duncan, S. C., & Hops, H. (1999). Adolescent problem behavior: The

influence of parents and peers.

Behaviour

Research and Therapy, 37

, 217-223.

Bandura, A. (1971).

Social learning theory.

New York: General Learning Press.

Baron, R.M. & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social

psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations.

Journal of

Personality and Social Psychology, 22

(6), 1173-1182.

Burton, D. L., Miller, D. L., & Shill, C. T. (2002). A social learning theory comparison of sexual

victimization of adolescent sexual offenders and nonsexual offending male delinquents.

Child Abuse and Neglect, 26,

893-907.

Cutrin

, O., Gomez-

Fraguela

, J. A., &

Luengo

, M. A. (2015). Peer-group mediation in the

relationship between family and juvenile antisocial behavior.

European Journal of

Psychology Applied in Legal Context, 7,

59-65.

Moos, R. H. (1974).

Family Environment Scale.

Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologist Press.Slide22

References (cont.)Pardini

, D. (2016). Empirically based strategies for preventing juvenile delinquency.

Child and

Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 25

(2)

,

257-268.

Roberts, C. H. (2000).

Juvenile delinquency: Cause and effect

. Retrieved from

teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum/units/2000/2/00.02.05.x.html

Sanches

, C., Gouveia-Pereira, M.,

Maroco

, J., Gomes, H., &

Roncon

, F. (2016). Deviant

behavior variety scale: Development and validation with a sample of Portuguese

adolescents.

Psicologia

:

Reflexao

e

Critica

, 29

(31), 1-8.

Snethen

, G., & Van

Puymbroeck

, M. (2008). Girls and physical aggression: Causes, trends, and

intervention guided by social learning theory.

Aggression and Violent Behavior, 13,

346-354.

Trudeau, L., Mason, W. A., Randall, G. K.,

Spoth

, R. & Ralston, E. (2012). Effects of parenting

and deviant peers on early to mid-adolescent conduct problems.

Journal of Abnormal

Child Psychology, 40

(8), 1249-1264.Slide23

References (cont.) U. S. of Justice (2015). 38. “Juvenile” Defined.

Criminal resource manual.

Retrieved from

https://www.justice.gov/usam/criminal-resource-manual38-juvenile-defined

Wong, I. W. J.,

Toh

, D. P., Hung, P. P. L., &

Ang

, R. P. (2013). Delinquency in

gangs- Selection or socialization?

Aggression and Violent Behavior, 18,

784-791.