A Meta-analysis of Attachment to Parents and Delinquency

Abstract

To investigate the link between attachment to parents and delinquency, and the potential moderating effects of age and sex, 74 published and unpublished manuscripts (N = 55,537 participants) were subjected to a multilevel meta-analysis. A mean small to moderate effect size was found (r = 0.18). Poor attachment to parents was significantly linked to delinquency in boys and girls. Stronger effect sizes were found for attachment to mothers than attachment to fathers. In addition, stronger effect sizes were found if the child and the parent had the same sex compared to cross-sex pairs of children and parents. Age of the participants moderated the link between attachment and delinquency: larger effect sizes were found in younger than in older participants. It can be concluded that attachment is associated with juvenile delinquency. Attachment could therefore be a target for intervention to reduce or prevent future delinquent behavior in juveniles.

Parental Attachment, Peer Attachment, and Delinquency among Adolescents in Selangor, Malaysia

“…It was found that male involved more in delinquent behaviors compared to female (Daigle, Cullen & Wright, 2007;Hart & Mueller, 2013;Hoeve et al, 2012). In terms of the severity, female tend to commit less severe behaviors such as lying, stealing, and bullying compared to male who involved in robbery and violent behaviors (Hart & Mueller, 2013;Weerman & Hoeve, 2012).…”

“…Children who experience secure attachment with the caregivers and peers result in positive outcomes such as higher self-esteem, better academic achievement, better emotional regulation and higher social competence (Bergin & Bergin, 2009;Hoeve et al, 2012). In contrast, children who experience poor attachment with their caregivers and friends are more likely to result in negative outcome such as behavioral problems and delinquency (Elgar, Knight, Worrall & Sherman, 2003;Hoeve et al, 2012).…”

“…In contrast, children who experience poor attachment with their caregivers and friends are more likely to result in negative outcome such as behavioral problems and delinquency (Elgar, Knight, Worrall & Sherman, 2003;Hoeve et al, 2012).…”

La perpetuación del comportamiento antisocial de los jóvenes caboverdianos: un estudio predictivo

“…Da mesma forma, Kazdin (1992) Outros estudos revelaram que reduzida supervisão parental ou supervisão parental inconsistente e a associação com pares desviantes têm emergido como preditores da delinquência entre jovens que vivem em situações de extrema pobreza (Hoeve et al, 2012;Murphy, Brecht, Huang, & Herbeck, 2012;O'Donnell, Richards, Pearce, & Romero, 2012;. Por exemplo, o estudo de Church II, Jaggers e Taylor (2012) indica que a diminuição das taxas de pobreza e o aumento do nível socioeconómico da zona de vizinhança levam a uma diminuição dos comportamentos disruptivos.…”

“…De facto, a literatura aponta que uma pobre vinculação aos pais se associa a um maior envolvimento em comportamentos delinquentes (e.g. Hoeve et al, 2012). Quando a qualidade da relação pais-filhos é pobre e quando ocorrem disfunções significativas na família a probabilidade de envolvimento em comportamentos delinquentes é maior, pelo que relações pais-filhos positivas podem funcionar como fatores protetores face à delinquência (Elrod & Ryder, 2014).…”