Family Functioning, Parental Rearing and Behavioural Problems in Delinquents

Abstract

There is research evidence to suggest the presence of dysfunctional families and rearing practices in the background of behavioural problems among adolescents. This study aimed to validate the Self-Report Family Inventory (SFI) in a Russian sample (n = 219) of juvenile delinquents and to compare the influence of family functioning and of parental rearing factors on their behavioural/psychological problems. The results reveal a somewhat different factor structure of the SFI, as compared to the original. In general, both groups of family variables had higher levels of correlations with behaviour problems in the violent subgroup of delinquents. Furthermore, family functioning appeared as a more powerful predictor of behavioural problems compared to parental rearing factors in this sample of delinquents. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.