A Study of Family Bonding and Delinquency among Chinese Youth

• In Event: Juvenile Delinquency and the Family: Additional Evidence

Abstract

Family bonding is a key component in social control theories explaining juvenile delinquency and significantly influences a child's personal growth and social development. However, the causal relationships of the elements of family bonding have not been thoroughly examined. Drawing on data from a sample of Chinese youths between the ages of twelve to seventeen, this study examines path models specifying the connections between various components of family bonding and their impact on delinquent behavior. The study also integrates both the efforts of parents and children into the model. The findings offer deeper insights into the complexity in the pathways through which family bonding influences juvenile delinquency.

Authors

• Xin Jiang, Tulane University

• Xiaojin Chen, Tulane University

• Bin Liang, Oklahoma State University-Tulsa

• Jianhong Liu, The University of Macau