The Interplay Between Virtual Socializing, Unstructured Socializing, and Delinquency

Abstract

Adolescent socialization patterns have shifted toward less in-person socializing and more virtual socializing. Thus, it’s important to determine the association between virtual socializing and delinquency and whether virtual socializing represents a separate construct or a technological evolution of unstructured socializing. We explore this by using a modern virtual socializing scale on a nationally representative sample of eighth to 10th graders from the 2018 Monitoring the Future survey. Results indicate that virtual socializing is associated with delinquency, and unstructured socializing somewhat attenuates this relationship, but virtual socializing remains a significant predictor. Karlson-Holm-Breen method was used to assess the degree of attenuation produced by unstructured socializing, and demonstrates that unstructured socializing attenuates about 20% of the effect of virtual socializing on delinquency.