The Buffering Effect of Social Support on Self-Control, Victimization, and Offending

• In Event: The Complex Relationship Between Risk Factors, Protective Factors, and Juvenile Offending and Victimization

Abstract

Building on prior research on the interplay between self-control, victimization, and offending, this study examines whether social support moderates these relationships. Using data from the Pathways to Desistance study, we assess whether peer and family support buffer the effects of low self-control and victimization on offending. Prior work suggests that low self-control increases the risk of both victimization and offending, but social support may mitigate these effects. Employing cross-lagged panel models, we test how variations in peer and familial support influence these associations over time. Preliminary findings indicate that stronger social support weakens the link between victimization and subsequent offending, particularly among youth with lower self-control. These results underscore the need to integrate social support structures into interventions targeting at-risk youth.

Authors

• Samantha Kopf Apple, Bowling Green State University

• Danielle Kuhl, Bowling Green State University