Funcionamento familiar e delinquência juvenil: A mediação do autocontrolo

Abstract

According to the General Theory of Crime ineffective parenting practices are the major cause of low self-control, which, in turn, will be the main responsible of the development of delinquent behaviors. On the present research we aim to analyze these claims, in other words, we will test the influence of family functioning on self-control, and analyze the mediating role of self-control in the relationship between family functioning and juvenile delinquency. 181 adolescents participated in this study, aged between 12 and 19 years old and attending schools in the Great Lisbon area. The instruments were the following: Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES IV), the Self-Control Scale, and the Delinquency Variety Scale. The results showed a positive relationship between family functioning and self-control and a negative relationship between self-control and delinquent behaviors. Furthermore, self-control fully mediated the relationship between family functioning and juvenile delinquency. Implications of this study are discussed.