Exploring the relationship between parenting styles and juvenile delinquency

by Asher, Jeff A.

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTING STYLES AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY by Jeff A. Asher This paper determines if in a sample of parents and guardians of felony adjudicated juveniles in Southwestern Ohio, a greater proportion of the juveniles live in homes with predominantly authoritarian parenting styles. The paper also determines if adjudicated juveniles in the sample who reside with mothers identifying with a authoritarian parenting style committed more serious felony offenses that those who live with permissive or equalitarian style parenting. The study involved parents and legal guardians of juveniles incarcerated for felony offenses and placed in a regional juvenile rehabilitation center. The parents were participants in a Court ordered parenting education program. The results of the study indicate two things: that the largest percentage (46%) of parents/guardians identified most closely with an authoritarian style of parenting; and there was not an association between an authoritarian parenting style and more serious felony offenses. Limitations of the study and future research implications are discussed.