Citation

Maxwell SR. Sociol. Inq. 2001; 71(3): 265-292.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Alpha Kappa Delta, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1475-682X.2001.tb01113.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Criminologists have long recognized the salient role of the family in explaining delinquency. However, explanations using family measures have been derived mostly from the paradigms of differential association and social control. This paper uses Agnew's General Strain Theory to examine two types of familial strain: witnessing interparental violence and direct parent-to-child violence, specifically its impact on children's antisocial behaviors. These two family measures are then juxtaposed against traditional explanations of delinquency and antisocial behavior. A total of 961 grade school students were surveyed in the Philippines and comprise this study's sample. Results show that witnessing interparental violence is significantly associated with self-reported antisocial and delinquent activities and the Teachers’Predictions of Peer Nominations. This significant association remained when measures of social control and differential association were controlled. The results highlight the importance of delineating family dynamics and their relative impact on youth behavior. The results also point to the utility of examining delinquency theories using non-Western samples.