Family structure associated with delinquency for adolescents, Swedish
study finds
Newly detailed analysis suggests 'asymmetrical arrangements' are
associated with more delinquency
Date:
April 13, 2022
Source:
PLOS
Summary:
Adolescents living in single-father, single-mother,
father-stepmother and mother-stepfather families report more
delinquency than those living with both their parents, according
to a new study.
FULL STORY ========================================================================== Adolescents living in single-father, single-mother, father-stepmother
and mother-stepfather families report more delinquency than those living
with both their parents, according to a new study published this week in
the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Robert Svensson and Bjo"rn Johnson
of Malmo" University, Sweden.
========================================================================== Previous studies have found that not living with both parents is
positively associated with delinquency, but family living arrangements
have been highly simplified -- only comparing living with both parents
versus not living with both parents, for instance. In the new study,
the researchers used data from four cross-sectional surveys carried out
between 2016 and 2019 in southern Sweden. Self-reported information on
nine delinquent behaviors -- such as shoplifting, graffiti or robbing
someone -- as well as detailed family structure was available for 3,838 adolescents aged 14 and 15.
Among all participants, those living with both mother and father or
living in a "symmetrical" arrangement -- in which parents live separately
and share custody but are both single or both have new partners --
were involved in delinquency to a lesser extent than those with other
family living structures. Compared to adolescents living with a mother
and father, delinquent behavior was more common among those living with
a single father (incident rate ratio [IRR] 1.898), a single mother (IRR
1.661), a father and stepmother (IRR 1.606) or a mother and stepfather
(IRR 2.044). In addition, "asymmetrical" arrangements, in which only
one parent had a new partner, was associated with more delinquency.
Many of the associations between family structure and delinquency declined
when adjusted for data on parental attachment and monitoring. The authors conclude that the use of more detailed categorization of family structure
can shed light on the contributing factors of delinquency.
The authors add: "This study shows that it is important to move on
to the use of more detailed categorizations of family structure in
relation to delinquency, and to increase our knowledge about the group of adolescents that moves between parents and especially about the different constellations of asymmetrical and symmetrical living arrangements."
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by PLOS. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.
========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Robert Svensson, Bjo"rn Johnson. Does it matter in what family
constellations adolescents live? Reconsidering the relationship
between family structure and delinquent behaviour. PLOS ONE, 2022;
17 (4): e0265964 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265964 ==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220413141606.htm
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