SCHOOL DELINQUENCY AND SOCIAL BOND FACTORS: EXPLORING GENDERED DIFFERENCES AMONG A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF 10TH GRADERS.

Hart, Caroline O.; Mueller, Christian E.

School delinquency has been linked to an array of negative educational outcomes, and if left unchecked, may lead to more serious problems in adulthood. Identifying the risk and protective factors that influence school delinquency is therefore crucial to develop effective intervention programs. Utilizing Hirschi's social bond theory as a framework, the authors investigated the relationships between social bonds (i.e., parental involvement, bond to school, beliefs, commitment to sport activities, commitment to non-sport activities, and involvement) and school delinquency among a nationally representative sample of 10th graders. Special attention was given to gender differences. Results indicate that social bond measures account for a significant variance in school delinquency (11.2%, p < .001) above and beyond that predicted by socioeconomic status (1.5%, p < .001), and that the relationships between social bonds and school delinquency vary across gender. Practical and theoretical implications are for educators and researchers alike.

UNITED States; DELINQUENT behavior; JUVENILE delinquency; BEHAVIOR disorders in children; GENDER differences (Psychology) in adolescence; STRAIN theory (Sociology); SOCIAL bonds; SOCIAL control; PARENT participation in education; HIRSCHI, Travis, 1935-; UNITED States education system; PREVENTION

Psychology in the Schools, 2013, Vol 50, Issue 2, p116

0033-3085

Academic Journal

10.1002/pits.21662