Is the Development of Family Functioning Dependent on Trajectories of Antisocial Behavior? A TRAILS Study
- PDF / 903,178 Bytes
- 11 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 36 Downloads / 146 Views
ORIGINAL PAPER
Is the Development of Family Functioning Dependent on Trajectories of Antisocial Behavior? A TRAILS Study Sjoerd van Halem
1
●
Margot Peeters2 Wilma A. M. Vollebergh2 ●
1234567890();,:
1234567890();,:
© The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Where previous studies have found consistent links between family factors and antisocial behavior, it is important to examine this relationship from a developmental perspective and account for heterogeneous antisocial development. In the present study, our goal was twofold: (1) identify and examine trajectories of self-reported antisocial behavior, and (2) compare the intercepts and slopes of family functioning of adolescents with different trajectories of antisocial behavior. We used a large national representative sample of 2230 Dutch boys and girls who we followed from approximately 10 to 22 years. We applied Latent class growth modeling to identify antisocial trajectories for boys and girls separately, across which the intercepts and slopes of family functioning were compared. We found four antisocial trajectories for boys and three antisocial trajectories for girls, which mostly corresponded with the trajectories found in previous literature. Further, we found that family functioning did not differ as a function of membership to a particular trajectory of antisocial behavior, neither on baseline measures nor on changes of family functioning across adolescence. Within this specific sample of adolescents, these results suggest that family functioning, as perceived by parents, remain stable regardless of antisocial behavior. Future research, in addition to using general family functioning measures, should also examine day-to-day family interactions, preferably also accounting for the perspective of the adolescent. Keywords Trajectories Family functioning Antisocial behavior Adolescence ●
●
●
Highlights The antisocial trajectories that we found in this study were in line with previous studies. ● Regardless of antisocial trajectory, family functioning remained stable across adolescence. ● Future research must study day-to-day family processes and follow these over longer periods. ●
Family plays an important role in the socialization process across childhood and adolescence. It is therefore not surprising, that criminological theories have emphasized the predictive role of family in explaining antisocial behavior. Hirshi’s social control theory (2008) for instance states that the ties that we have with society prevent us from engaging in criminal behavior. Family represents one of our strongest
* Sjoerd van Halem [email protected] 1
Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands
2
Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
social ties and, according to this theory, plays a crucial role in explaining the occurrence or absence of criminal behavior. In addition, learning theory emphasizes the role of family in explaining differences in antisocial behavior. Learning antisocial behavior in a fami
Data Loading...
