Strain, Coping, and Adolescent Deviance: A Cultural Understanding of General Strain Theory

• In Event: Globalizing Criminology: Culture, Context, and Cross-National Inquiry

Abstract

This paper offers a comprehensive review of General Strain Theory (GST), with a particular focus on its application among adolescents across diverse cultural contexts. Starting with an exploration of the origins of Strain Theory, including traditional strain theory, for example, Merton’s foundational work on unachieved goals and deviance, the paper traces GST’s evolution and development as a framework to explain illegal behaviors. Recognizing that young people may experience strain and have coping mechanisms significantly different across cultures, this study reviews empirical applications of GST in Western and Eastern contexts. Each cultural context provides unique pathways through which youth interpret, cope with, and respond to strain, highlighting the influence of cultural norms and resources on deviant outcomes. Based on the literature review, this paper identifies several theoretical and empirical limitations within GST, including distinctive strain sources and coping mechanism derived from cultural norms and expectations, the generalizability of GST in terms of emotional responses, and challenges in operationalizing strain across settings. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research, emphasizing the need for a more culturally nuanced approach to understanding strain, coping, and deviance among youth.

Author

• Wei Wang, University of Delaware