Family structure, unstructured socializing, and delinquent behavior

Abstract

BackgroundThe association between family structure and delinquent behavior has been studied for more than 100 years. Research on this topic has become more sophisticated with the advent of large data sets and advances in statistical modeling, but it has largely confirmed that adolescents living in single parent, stepparent, or no parent families tend to be more involved than youth from two-parent families in delinquent behaviors. This pattern has been linked to differences in economic resources, cognitive functioning, parent-child relations, and parental monitoring of adolescents. The objective of this research was to investigate whether a previously unexamined concept, unstructured socializing, mediated the association between family structure and delinquent behavior. MethodUsing data from 30 nations (n = 67,470), multilevel structural equation models (SEMs) were employed to estimate the direct and indirect effects, via unstructured socializing, of family structure on delinquent behavior. ResultsThe results furnished clear support for a mediation effect via unstructured socializing among youth living with a single parent or a mother and stepfather, but no support among those living in other family structures. ConclusionsThe association between living in a single parent family and delinquent behaviors is mediated, in large part, by unstructured socializing. Thus, programs that encourage normative activities among youth from single parent families should be encouraged as a promising method to curb delinquent behavior.