General Strain Theory Research Articles

Explaining Cyberloafing Behavior: The Role of General Strain Theory

The internet has changed the way employees get things done. However, many have not been on target regarding the use of the internet among employees. The availability of internet facilities in many organizations is used for personal gain or what is often referred to as cyberloafing behavior. General strain theory in this research is used to explain cyberloafing behavior. This behavior is not a criminal act but violates organizational regulations caused by organizational support and employee work stress. This study aims to assess the role of organizational support and reduce employee stress levels and cyberloafing behavior. The method used is in the form of PLS ​​by involving 330 government employees in Lumajang Regency as a sample. The results showed that the organizational support felt by employees was able to reduce work stress. Employees who feel work stress will tend to behave cyberloafing. The existence of high organizational support has increased employee cyberloafing behavior. The higher the perceived organizational support, the lower the level of employee work stress, and cyberloafing behavior. An important finding in this study is that the general strain theory has been able to prove the existence of cyberloafing behavior caused by organizational support and employee work stress.

Social Contagion in Bullying: an Examination of Strains and Types of Bullying Victimization in Peer Networks

This study examined risk and protective factors for four types of bullying victimization – physical, verbal, relational, and cyber bullying – while assessing the influence of vicarious, anticipated, and experienced strains from General Strain Theory. In this study, experienced strain was operationalized as exposure to negative stimuli, such as rejection. Vicarious strain was operationalized as witnessing or being aware of other people’s negative experiences, such as peer victimization, and anticipated strain occurred when an individual had negative expectations about the future, such as a fear of harm. Using a sample of Southeastern high school students, this study found that individuals who experienced vicarious strain (peer victimization) had a higher likelihood of experiencing the same type of victimization as their peers. Previous bullies were also likely to experience the same type of bullying that they initiated. Anticipated strain (fear of attack) was associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing verbal and cyber bullying. Adult support was associated with an increased likelihood of verbal bullying but decreased likelihood of relational bullying victimization. Peer support was associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing relational and cyber bullying victimization. The results support Agnew’s (2006) proposal that experienced, vicarious, and anticipated strains are correlated with antisocial behavior and victimization (Zavala & Spohn, 2013). Policy implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Responses to bullying among high-school students through the lens of general strain theory

In General Strain Theory (GST), Agnew asserts that negative emotions in response to strains are associated with antisocial behavior. Researchers found GST to explain criminal and self-harm responses to bullying. However, not all youth respond antisocially, such as by harming the self or others. Thus, the question remains, when do youth respond to bullying antisocially versus asocially or prosocially? This study examined situation-based negative emotions, the availability of alternative relationships, and behavioral responses to physical, verbal, relational, and cyber bullying to answer this question. This study integrates research from sociology, criminology, health, and social psychology to address this question among a sample of high-school bully victims. This study found variation in the emotional and behavioral responses based on the type of bullying. However, across bullying types, the availability of alternative relationships was associated with increased prosocial responding.

Social big data analysis of future signals for bullying in South Korea: Application of general strain theory

The utilization of traditional social survey data to address today’s bullying problems presents some limitations. In response, a new method to investigate and subsequently intervene is warranted. Therefore, this study analyzed big data generated by social media to identify Future Signals of bullying. This approach may contribute to effectively clarifying the problem and suggesting targeted interventions to address the bullying phenomenon in South Korea. For social big data analysis, 350,314 web documents were collected per hour each day from January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2017, from 279 subject channels based on an ontology of bullying-related topics. Term frequency, document frequency, degree of visibility, and degree of diffusion were computed to identify Future Signals. A substantial overlap of findings between studies based on social big data and traditional survey results was observed for family (e.g., parental divorce, domestic violence, child abuse), peer (e.g., transfer, friend violence), economic (e.g., economic problem), and school/academic (e.g., academic record, school control, academic stress) strain domains, whereas strains concerning the media (e. g., movie, celebrity) and cultural (e.g., materialism, hell Korea) domains seemed to be more salient in social big data. Weak Signal topics in social big data representing media and cultural strain domains (e.g., Youtube, class society, bullying culture) related to the bullying phenomenon appear to be emerging in significance. These topics and their respective strain domains represent potentially important new areas that warrant further investigation by practitioners and policymakers. These findings may allow the early detection of crucial information by providing data to support better informed insight and intervention related to the complex problem of bullying in South Korea.

Psychological Well-Being in a Connected World: The Impact of Cybervictimization in Children's and Young People's Life in France.

The Internet is at the heart of our children’s and adolescents’ way of life. Although it opens up many positive perspectives in terms of access to information, knowledge, and communication, it also presents risks and potential negative experiences that can have severe consequences at the individual level. In this paper, we are interested in studying the link between cybervictimization, psychological well-being, and social competence. More specifically, we want to study how children and adolescents’ anxiety, impulsivity, self-esteem, and deviant behaviors may be related to cybervictimization. We collected data from 1019 children and young people in France aged 9–17 in the context of the EU Kids online survey. Sampling was performed building a random-probability nationally representative sample of households with children using the Internet. Participants completed a questionnaire online by computer-assisted self-interviewing (CASI). Structural equation model reveals that (1) cybervictimization is related to lower well-being, such as anxiety and low self-esteem, as well as lower social competence, such as impulsivity and deviant behaviors, and that (2) all dimensions of (non)well-being and social (in)competence are related to each other. Findings are discussed in the light of Agnew general strain theory and previous research findings on the consequences of cybervictimization.

Police Stress and Race: Using General Strain Theory to Examine Racial Differences in Police Misconduct

A large body of research demonstrates the toll stress takes on police. However, with recent high-profile force incidents that have fueled distrust of police especially within minority communities, there is reason to expect that minority officers experience stress differently than their white counterparts. Within the context of Agnew’s (1992) General Strain Theory, this study examines the relationship between police stress and misconduct. As well, since a police stress/anger relationship has been found, we also analyze racial differences in the extent to which negative affect (anger) mediates the stress/outcome relationship. Using data from a survey of over 1,400 police officers working in three large cities in Texas, we find that stress is significantly related to officers’ acts of misconduct within both races. Moreover, there are noticeable differences in the role anger plays in the stress/misconduct relationship among white and minority officers.

The Effects of Classroom Anger, Strain, and Negative Emotions on Delinquency among Vocational School Students in China

ABSTRACT General Strain Theory delineates the intervening paths from strain to deviance and crime, mediated by negative emotions. In addition to explaining individual strain-delinquency relationships, a macro version of General Strain Theory describes the effects of aggregate variables on individual delinquency and individual strain-delinquency associations. Using a sample of 902 students (Individual Level) nested in 30 classrooms (Classroom Level), the present study tests the macro version of General Strain Theory using Chinese data. The results revealed the differences among classrooms for their delinquency and provided evidence that classroom anger had an influence on individual delinquency. Classroom anger also reinforced the individual strain-delinquency and negative affect-delinquency associations. Limitations and future studies were discussed.

Depression as a Mediator between Negative Interpersonal Relationship and Suicidal Ideation among Korean Adolescents

South Korea has one of the highest global suicide rates. In spite of the notorious ranking of suicide rate across the world, analyses of the cause of suicide have been rare in South Korea. Using a Korean survey in 2010 with 399 samples aged 12 to 21, this study conducted structural equation modeling to apply Agnew’s general strain theory to suicidal ideation of adolescents. This study supported the theory’s assumption that negative interpersonal relationship increased suicidal ideation, with mediation effect of depression level. On the other hand, some findings in this study should be questionable. More specifically, negative relationship with friends decreased adolescents’ suicidal ideation. Eventually, however, it increased their suicidal ideation through swelling depression level. In sum, results of this study could help guide to explain the cause of suicidal ideation by interpersonal relationship. In particular, they showed the applicability of general strain theory in South Korea.

Examination of the Relationship between Cyberbullying and Cyber Victimization

Behaviors which are conducted via information technologies, which are irritating, and which cause psychological strain for the individuals are categorized as cyberbullying (CB). Cyber victimization (CV), on the other hand, expresses exposure to CB behaviors. In this study, we utilize General Strain Theory (GST) as the theoretical basis to examine the relationship between CB and exposure to CV among university students. GST explains that individuals may display aberrant behaviors in order to alleviate psychological strains and the negative emotions they experience. Accordingly, individuals who experienced CV may display CB when the conditions are suitable. With that in mind, we examined the relationship between CB and CV using a relational screening model with participation of 3302 university students. We found, consistent with the literature, a direct relationship between CB and CV in all models. However, it was determined that their mediating effects are not meaningful when the variables of metacognitive and digital data security awareness (DDSA) are added to the model separately. When these two variables are added to the model together as the mediator at the same time, DDSA negatively mediates the relation between CB and CV. Including various activities aiming to develop DDSA within intervention programs for CB and CV, may improve positive outcomes for participants.

Hostility and reactive criminal thinking as mediators of the violent victimization–violent offending relationship: affect before cognition?

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1. determine whether an affective-cognitive construct, hostility, and a cognitive-affective criminal thinking style, reactive criminal thinking (RCT), mediate the relationship between prior violent victimization and future violent offending, and 2. ascertain whether mediator order – hostility before RCT and RCT before hostility – makes a difference in the overall results. Using seven waves of data, three overlapping analyses were performed on data provided by 1,354 youth (1,170 males, 184 females; mean age = 16.04 years) from the Pathways to Desistance study. A two-mediator pathway that placed hostility before RCT (Victimization-1/2/3 → Hostility-2/3/4 → RCT-3/4/5 → Offending-4/5/6) proved significant in all three analyses, whereas the alternate two-mediator pathway, in which the order of the two mediators was reversed (i.e. RCT-2/3/4 → Hostility-3/4/5), was non-significant in two out of the three analyses. Five single-mediator pathways, four of which were mediated by hostility, were also significant. Congruent with aspects of both general strain and criminal lifestyle theories, violent victimization appeared to stimulate short-term situational hostility, which, in turn, facilitated or primed formation of reactive criminal thinking and the youth’s eventual participation in criminal violence, although hostility alone had a significant impact on criminal violence as well.

Examining and Expanding Latinx General Strain Theory

Since the initial articulation of general strain theory (GST), Agnew has suggested strains may function differently—in type, response, and impact—for different groups. We build upon Pérez and colleagues’ foundational arguments for a Latinx GST by investigating the role of the ethnically specific strains they propose in addition to other strains argued to disproportionately impact people of Color. Furthermore, we examine the protective role of positive ethnic identity against the negative effects of strainful experiences for Latinxs. Using a sample of Latinx youth from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, we highlight not only the unique strains faced by Latinxs in America, but how they distinctly experience and respond to criminogenic strains.

Stressful life events and adolescent suicidality: An investigation of the mediating mechanisms

IntroductionWhile a number of studies have found an association between stressful life events and adolescent suicidality, underlying mechanisms linking the two continue to be inadequately understood. Drawing upon the stress process, general strain, and support deterioration theories, this study examined the relationship between stressful life events and suicidality in U.S. adolescents, focusing on the mediating roles of depression, substance use, and perceived social support. MethodsThe data came from the first two waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 12,801; M age = 15 at Wave I; 50.2% female). Mediation analyses were performed using the Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method developed for nonlinear probability models. ResultsDepression, substance use, and perceived social support accounted for a substantial part of the effect of stressful life events on suicidal ideation (57%) and attempts (43%). All mediating effects were statistically significant. Depression was a relatively stronger mediator for both suicidal outcomes. Significant relationships among stressful life events and suicidal outcomes persisted even after adjusting for the proposed mediators. ConclusionStressful life events increase suicidality in adolescents, partly by increasing psychological distress and eroding perceived social support. Findings underscore the necessity of continued emphasis on stress management and support programs in reducing suicidality among vulnerable adolescents exposed to these types of occurrences.

The Role of Sex on Officer Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence: An Empirical Analysis of Mechanisms of Intimate Partner Violence

ABSTRACT Intimate partner violence (IPV) is serious social concern and is often perpetrated by police officers. Research suggests that 20–40% of police families experience IPV. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of an officer’s sex plays in IPV perpetration using measures that can be utilized for Social Learning Theory, General Strain Theory, or Social Bond Theory. The Police Stress and Domestic Violence in Police Families in Baltimore, Maryland 1997–1999 data were utilized in the study. This study utilized three different logistic regression models to examine IPV perpetration among all officers, male officers only, and female officers only. By doing this, the mechanisms for which IPV perpetration occurs among male and female officers are further understood. The results of the study suggest the mechanisms for which officers perpetrate IPV differ for male and female officers.

Prison Strains, Negative Emotions, and Deviance Among Prisoners in South Korea: A Latent-Variable Modeling Test of General Strain Theory.

This article examines the applicability of general strain theory to correctional samples by testing whether prison strains are positively related to deviance among prisoners through strain-associated negative emotions and whether the negative emotions-deviance relationship is systematic in terms of inner versus outer directedness. Latent-variable structural equation modeling was applied to analyze survey data from 986 male prisoners in South Korea. First, an inmate's dissatisfaction with correctional officers was found to be positively related to anger and fear of victimization, whereas in-prison victimization was related only to the fear. Second, outer-directed emotion (anger) was positively related to outer-directed deviance (aggressive and property misconduct and anticipated reoffending) but not to inner-directed deviance (self-injury/suicide attempt). On the contrary, inner-directed emotion (fear) was related positively to the inner-directed deviance but inversely to property misconduct. Finally, some of the indirect relationships of victimization and dissatisfaction with deviance via negative emotions were found to be significant.

Imprisonment pains, reentry strains, and perceived likelihood of reoffending

ABSTRACT Research has shown that imprisonment has a criminogenic effect, but few studies have examined why this relationship exists. Drawing on Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST) and survey data from a sample of men and women incarcerated in a large Southern prison, the current study examined the role of both imprisonment pains and reentry strains on perceived likelihood of reoffending. It also examined differences between first-time and repeat prisoners. Results from the overall sample showed that reentry strains (i.e., low community capital and inability to adjust to life in the community) mattered more than imprisonment pains. The results were similar for repeat prisoners, but both imprisonment pains (i.e., fear for one’s safety while in prison) and reentry strains (i.e., low community capital) mattered for first-time prisoners.

Bullying victimization and delinquent involvement: An application of general strain theory

Bullying victimization is linked to numerous undesirable outcomes which are likely to affect victims over the life course. The current study incorporates data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1997) and draws from Agnew’s General Strain Theory to estimate the effects of bullying victimization on depressive symptoms and delinquency. Results suggest repeated bullying victimization increases depressive symptoms in adolescence for both males and females (ages 12–16). The results also indicate that it is problematic to assess delinquent outcomes for bullying victimization independent of mediating mental health factors, namely depressive symptoms. Additionally, depressive symptoms mediate the bullying victimization and delinquent relationship for females but not males. A discussion pertaining to relevant policy implications and future research investigating the delinquent outcomes of bullying victimization is provided.

Outlaw Bikers and Patched Street Gangs: The Nexus Between Violence and Shadow Economy

Outlaw bikers, patched street gangs and violence make good headlines and stimulate fierce rhetoric in politics, but does this reflect the nexus between gangs, violence and crime? This article analyses gang membership in Aotearoa New Zealand and the nexus between violence and the shadow economy. Patched gangs as a deviant sub-culture have a long history in Aotearoa New Zealand. Drawing on the cultural tenets of the outlaw bikers of North America, outlaw bikers and patched street gangs grew to such an extent that they now have a presence in most towns and cities in Aotearoa New Zealand. One of these tenets is violence and sets patched gangs outside the standard characteristics of hyper-masculine groups: violence also makes gangs well-placed to control areas of the shadow economy. This paper seeks to locate gangs in the cultural landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand and interrogate what attracts young men to these groups applying General Strain Theory. This paper also investigates the tenets of gang culture with a focus on violence and the role it plays in dominating aspects of the shadow economy. Future trends in the face of an increasingly international gang landscape will be considered while issues in obtaining accurate data on gangs will be discussed. It is the author’s contention that increased economic inequality will see gang membership rise with a move by some groups to position themselves to further control the drug trade through the threat or use of violence and the utilisation of transnational networks. The author also contends that some gangs will resist such moves towards organised criminal behaviour.

Effect of Pressure Levels on Risk Levels of Deviant Behavior of Correctional Prisoners

The results of recentt study abaout mental health disorders status showed that 36% experienced mental health disorders in the form of anxiety and women, the incidence rate was higher than men, 61%: 39%. The study was conducted 62 surveys in 12 countries covering 22,790 correctional prison residents found that every 6 months there was a prevalence of psychosis in men 3.7% and women 4% major depression in men 10% and women 12% and personality disorders in men 65% men and 42% women. From these data, many Penitentiary Citizens experience mental health disorders such as stress and sexual deviations. Deviations committed by Penitentiary Members include such as hallucinating / fantasizing, masturbating, and biological violation activities carried out by men and women in Correctional Institutions. This study uses the General Strain Theory theory by Robert Agnew using a quantitative approach. The data collected uses primary data in the form of distributing questionnaires to a predetermined sample of Penitentiary Guards. From the results of the study above the level of risk of deviant behavior of Correctional Guidance Citizens continues to increase along with the increasing level of pressure experienced by Correctional Guidance Citizens.

Patterns and explanations of delinquency among Korean youth using general strain theory

This study tests Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST) using a national panel survey of Korean youth. The Korean Youth Panel Survey was conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute of Korea and interviewed a randomly selected sample of youth from 2003 to 2007. Using cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis, this study specifically examines the effects of family strain, school strain, and peer strain on delinquency patterns of Korean youth and examines whether the relationship between strain and delinquency is controlled by the youth’s attachments to family, teachers or peers, their exposure to delinquent peers, or self- control. According to the GST, delinquent responses to strain are more likely to occur in the presence of deviant conditions. The use of Korean data expands testing of the General Strain Theory to non-western samples, allowing examination of the relevance of this framework in non-western settings. The current study revealed that school strain has a consistent significant effect on both aggressive behavior and status offense, even after adding control factors. Finally, policy implications based on findings are discussed.

Unraveling the Bidirectional Relationship Between Bullying Victimization and Perpetration: A Test of Mechanisms From Opportunity and General Strain Theories

This study tested two theories designed to explain the bullying perpetration–victimization relationship. Peer delinquency was hypothesized to mediate the pathway from bullying perpetration to victimization, in line with opportunity, lifestyle, and routine activities theories, and anger was held to mediate the pathway from bullying victimization to perpetration as set forth in general strain theory. These pathways were tested in a sample of 3,411 youth (1,728 boys, 1,683 girls) from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. A causal mediation analysis performed on three nonoverlapping waves of data, in which prior levels of each predicted variable were controlled, uncovered support for peer delinquency as a mediator of the perpetration–victimization pathway but failed to identify anger as a mediator of the victimization–perpetration pathway. Additional research is required to identify a mediator for the victimization–perpetration pathway and determine whether variables other than peer delinquency mediate the perpetration–victimization pathway.