Long-Term Effects of Parenting and Family Characteristics on Delinquency of Male Young Adults

Drawing from the criminology literature and family studies, we investigated the long-term effects of established family risk factors and parenting styles on male young adult delinquency. We used data sets from two longitudinal studies, the Pittsburgh Youth Study (N=474) and the Child-Rearing and Family in the Netherlands Study (N=128), each with assessment periods covering at least 10 years. The lack of orderly and structured activities within the family during adolescence was a strong predictor of delinquency in young adulthood, once prior aggression and demographic variables were considered. No evidence was found for a relationship between authoritarian and authoritative parenting styles and later delinquency. Furthermore, previously identified family factors such as socioeconomic status, supervision, punishment and attachment were not related to delinquent behaviour in young adulthood.