Parental Attachment as a Protective Factor Between ACEs and Adolescent Delinquency - CANCELLED

• In Event: Family, Peers, and Neighborhood Effects on Antisocial Outcomes

Abstract

This study explores whether parental attachment serves as a protective factor between the relationship of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adolescent delinquency. A large body of research has established an association between ACEs and many negative life outcomes, including delinquent behavior, while strong parental attachment is linked to lower rates of delinquency. While these correlations have been established, the interplay of these three factors has been understudied. Drawing on data from the 2024 Florida Youth and Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS) (N=22,016), this study examines the relationship between ACEs, parental attachment, and delinquency using negative binomial regression models. Our findings support prior research, indicating that ACEs are associated with an increase in delinquency, as well as parental attachment being linked to a decrease in delinquent acts. The interaction term of ACEs and parental attachment (p=0.05), suggests that parental attachment’s protective effects weaken as ACEs increase. Understanding how parental attachment impacts the effects of ACEs on adolescent delinquency imply a need for targeted interventions that address ACEs and encourage parent-adolescent bonds.
Keywords: adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), delinquency, parental attachment

Authors

• Tessa Alyse Johnson, Brigham Young University

• Melissa Jones, Brigham Young University