Parenting quality and delinquency: A study in two countries

Abstract

Based on statements of the General Theory of Crime (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990), evidence was found for a relationship between self-control and delinquency. Also, results were found suggesting this link being the same across countries. Moreover, a relationship between parenting quality and self-control was (partially) found, based on Baumrind’s theory (1996) and the General Theory of Crime (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). These theories combined gave us reason to investigate a possible relationship between parenting quality and delinquency. Also, in this study will be examined if there is a mediating effect of self-control on the link between parenting quality and delinquency. Following the theories, no differences between countries are assumed. We used data from the Second International Self-Report Delinquency Study (ISRD-2) to gather information about the countries in this study, the Netherlands and Germany (Entzmann et al., 2015). Our results suggest no mediating effect of self-control and ambivalent results were found regarding a link between parenting quality and criminal behavior.