Delinquency and Antisocial Behavior:
A Review of Family Process and Intervention Research
Carolyn A. Smith
University at Albany, State University of New York
Susan B. Stern
Boston University
Recent longitudinal research employing complex measurement and analytic
strategies has generated new, more intricate conceptualizations of the
relationship between family life and delinquency, all of which have important
implications for intervention with delinquents and their families. This
critical review of the current research on the role of the family, its
implications for family-based interventions with delinquents, and the existing
treatment outcome research highlights four areas: the link between different
family processes and delinquency, reciprocal relationships between parenting
and delinquency, the effects of family context on parenting and delinquency,
and the family as one cause of delinquency among many.
Juvenile delinquency is one of today's most pressing social problems,
especially in view of its rising volume and seriousness. Delinquent behavior
has profound negative consequences for victims and for society at large,
as well as for adolescents and their families. Chronic delinquency is often
accompanied by other disruptions in an adolescent's life, such as substance
use, gang activity, and dropping out of school. Moreover, this constellation
is associated with failure to master normal life transitions into responsible
and productive adulthood.
One of the most significant systems in child and adolescent development
is the family. Families are considered to be a frontline defense against
delinquency.[1] Unfortunately, although recent research has significantly
advanced our understanding of the mechanisms that link families and delinquency,
it has not made its way into the social work knowledge base.[2] Indeed,
in a content analysis of listings in Social Work Research and Abstracts
between 1980 and 1994, articles on juvenile justice in social work journals
were so scarce that Richard Sutphen enlisted his review "A Needle in the
Haystack."[3] Of particular concern was the lack of research relevant to
practice. One of the consequences is that the connection of programs and
services to the research knowledge base is often tenuous. To address this
concern, we review the current empirical research assessing the effect
of the family in the development of the delinquent and antisocial behavior
patterns and consider relevant family-based interventions.
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