The Influence of Parental Behavior and Peer Pressure on Delinquent Behavior of Adolescents.

This study examines the influence of several forms of parental behaviour (support, psychological control, strictness and knowledge) and peer pressure on delinquent behavior of youth during the early to middle adolescence. Furthermore, this study investigated whether parental behavior moderated the relation between peer pressure and delinquent behavior. A sample of 474 children rated delinquent behavior, parental behavior and peer pressure during three waves with a one-year interval. Results of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that high levels of previous delinquent behavior predicted high levels of delinquent behavior. High levels of parental knowledge predicted high levels of delinquent behavior. Furthermore, high levels of peer pressure for misconduct and low levels of peer pressure to abstain from antisocial behavior at early adolescence predicted high levels of delinquent behavior the following year. Results revealed that the level of peer pressure to show antisocial behavior on delinquent behavior was moderated by strict parenting during the early adolescence. This study suggests that parenting exerts an important influence of adolescents’ delinquent behavior and may even reinforce potentially negative peer influence