Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the key predictors to violent behavior in adolescents, focusing on their familial relationships and differences between violent and non-violent delinquent behavior among (N = 91) juveniles who have been incarcerated or are on probation between the ages of 13 to 25 years old. Method. A convenience sample was collected from juveniles incarcerated at Heman G. Stark Youth Correctional Facility and on probation through the City of Chino. Participants completed a questionnaire composed of (1) Demographic Questions, (2) The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES-II), (3) The Child Abuse and Trauma Scale (CAT), (4) Self-Reported Delinquency Scales, and (5) the Delinquency Checklist (DCL). Statistical analyses, including two separate multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA), were performed on the two independent variables family functioning, family violence and two delinquency measures. Results. The first MANOVA analyzed the three dependent variables derived from the Self Reported Delinquency Scales, frequency of attacks against persons, vandalism and theft scale. The second MANOVA analysis was performed on four dependent variables from the Delinquency Checklist, which are delinquent role, drug usage, parental defiance, and assaultiveness and found some significant results. Discussion. Finding indicated that the high family functioning group had statistically significantly higher levels of self-reported assaultiveness than did their low family functioning counterparts. This is contrary to the findings of previous research (e.g., Avakame, 1998; Cashwell & Vacc, 1996; Clarke & Shields, 1997; Loeber & Farrington, 1998; Matherne & Thomas, 2001). Additionally, the present research found a significant relationship between the level of family violence and the development of parental defiance in juveniles. Respondents with high family violence reported statistically significantly higher levels of parental defiance than those respondents reporting low family violence. Implications for these findings were discussed.