Research Brief
The Impacts of Parenting on Youth Criminality
Principal
Researcher(s) &
Affiliation(s)

Date: July 29, 2019

Principle Researcher:
Helena Noel
Project Sponsor:
Melanie Chernoff
Instructors:
Greg Keenan
Daniella Sieukaran
Research Field
Public Safety
Student
Involvement
N/A
Partners &
Collaboration
N/A
Funding Sources
N/A: Course-based
Project.
Project Period
From: 01/2019
To: 04/2019

- Funded
- In Kind
-Total

$0.00
$0.00
$0.00

As the quality of an individual's childhood can be a determining factor in whether or
not they become involved in perpetrating crime, it is important for society to
understand how to give children the best possible upbringing. To do so, parenting must
be examined to determine which actions might result in youth criminality (referred to
here also as delinquency).
The manner by which parenting can result in criminality was researched through the
examination of secondary data in a qualitative study. This study worked to answer
whether parenting style can increase the likelihood of the child perpetrating criminal
activity and, secondarily, what aspects of parenting result in delinquency.
The study initially found that delinquent behaviours can be linked to parenting styles
and poor parent-child relationships. Parenting styles are categorized by either low or
high levels of responsiveness and control. Low responsiveness implies that the parent
does not respond promptly or adequately to the needs of the child. Conversely, control
refers to what the parent does to ensure the child adheres to the demands and rules they
set out. Here, the parenting styles found to cause the most occurrences of delinquency
among children were neglecting parenting and, to a lesser degree, authoritarian
parenting (Boshier, 2011). The neglecting parenting style is characterized by low
responsiveness and low control whereas authoritarian parents exert high control and
low responsiveness.
Next, poor parent-child relationships were found to be extremely detrimental to
children. The strength of the bond is dependent upon the child's perceptions; the child
needs to perceive positive feelings from the parent such as shared support, affection
and nurturance as well as response to the child's needs. Children who do not have
quality relationships with their parents can develop behavioural issues such as “the
inability to show affection or concern for others, as well as aggressive
tendencies” (Hoeve, Stams, Van Der Put, Dubas, Van Der Laan, & Gerris, 2012, p.
772). They might have trouble managing emotion, possess low self-confidence,
aggression, hostilty, depression, anxiety and are more likely to suffer from mental
disorders (Mallers, Charles, Neupert, & Almeida, 2010).
Additionally, another trend evident in the literature was the damaging effects of
psychological control. Specifically, it was linked to delinquency and negative
behaviours such as aggression, defiance and impulsivity. Psychological control is
defined by the use of psychological techniques in an attempt to control a child's
behaviour. This might include manipulation such as withdrawal of love and instilling
guilt (Hoeve, Dubas, Eichelsheim, Van Der Laan, Smeenk, & Gerris, 2009).
Ultimately, the best explanation for why parenting can lead to delinquency came from
examining the impacts the responsiveness and control dimensions have on the parentchild relationship. Parental responsiveness was found to be necessary to build a
relationship. This might imply that if the parent does not adequately respond to the
child's needs, the child cannot develop the positive feelings necessary for creating a
quality relationship. Similarly, psychological control can impede the relationship as it
might keep the child from perceiving mutual trust and support. Again, this would
interfere with the development of positive emotions necessary to create and maintain a
relationship.

Research Brief
Structured Abstract
Introduction: As parents are the basis of a child's future behaviour and experiences, it is necessary to understand which approaches may
result in delinquent (criminal) children. This study worked to answer the research question: can parenting style increase the likelihood of the
child perpetrating criminal activity? Additionally, it went on to address the secondary question: what aspects of parenting result in
delinquency?
Methods: The research was conducted using a qualitative approach. This approach to research was well suited for this study as it allows for
the interpretation of existing data and the formation of multiple hypotheses to find meaning in social problems. Too, the integration of
secondary data was selected alongside qualitative methods as recurring themes in parenting and its outcomes could be identified in previous
works. This approach then allowed for these themes to be analyzed and validated through the various perspectives and opinions in past
works. Data was collected through comprehensive searches of the Justice Institute of British Columbia’s (JIBC) online library database and
a basic online search using Google Scholar.
Results: Trends in the literature indicated that the parent-child relationship and parenting style are linked to juvenile delinquency.
Specifically, poor relationships, neglectful parenting and, to a lesser degree, authoritarian parenting result in greater occurrences of
criminality. The link between parenting style and parent-child relationships was drawn through the theory that certain dimensions of
parenting styles can interrupt or impede the formation or development of the parent-child relationship. Specifically, psychological control
can spur rebellion in children and produce negative behaviours such as aggression, defiance and impulsivity (Hoeve et al., 2009). This,
along with the likelihood of distrust and ineffective communication between parents and child, would make forming a quality relationship
extremely difficult.
Likewise, low responsiveness might cause the child to perceive that their parent is not warm or affectionate and does not support or care
about their needs and desires. Too, the parent does not invest the time and attention required to allow there to be opportunity to bond with
the child (Boshier, 2011). This theory is further backed by attachment theory which relays that responsiveness in infancy is essential for
quality relationships to be formed.
Discussion: The parent-child relationship is important in avoiding juvenile criminality or delinquency. Poor relationships can result in lower
self-confidence and difficulty in coping with emotion (Trzesniewski, Donnellan, Moffitt, Robins, Poulton, & Caspi, 2006). Higher rates of
aggression, hostility, depression, and anxiety as well as mental disorders have been associated with children who have poor-quality
relationships with their parents. Too, these children might have lower emotional intelligence (Sharma, Prakash, Sengar, Chaudhury, &
Singh, 2015). These traits leave the child more vulnerable to becoming involved in criminality and many have been noted to be prevalent
among offenders. This is an important consideration when exploring how future crime can be prevented.
Practical Applications: Parents and professionals working with children and families can apply this research to ensure they place adequate
focus upon developing quality parent-child relationships. Actions necessary to develop and maintain relationships were highlighted in this
work.

Publications/Presentations/Reports
Boshier, P. (2011). Parenting and crime: An evidence-based review with implications for the New Zealand family and youth court. Family Court Review, 49(1), 8–15.
doi:10.1111/j.1744-1617.2010.01349.x
Hoeve, M., Dubas, J. S., Eichelsheim, V. I., Van Der Laan, P. H., Smeenk, W., & Gerris, J. R. M. (2009). The relationship between parenting and delinquency:
A meta-analysis. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37(6), 749–775. doi:10.1007/s10802-009-9310-8
Hoeve, M., Stams, G., Van Der Put, C., Dubas, J., Van Der Laan, P., & Gerris, J. (2012). A meta-analysis of attachment to parents and delinquency. Journal of
Abnormal Child Psychology, 40(5), 771–785. doi:10.1007/s10802-011-9608-1
Mallers, M. H., Charles, S. T., Neupert, S. D., & Almeida, D. M. (2010). Perceptions of childhood relationships with mother and father: Daily emotional and
stressor experiences in adulthood. Developmental Psychology, 46(6), 1651-61. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Sharma, N., Prakash, O., Sengar, K. S., Chaudhury, S., & Singh, A. R. (2015). The relation between emotional intelligence and criminal behavior: A study among
convicted criminals. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, 24(1), 54–58. doi:10.4103/0972-6748.160934
Trzesniewski, K. H., Donnellan, M. B., Moffitt, T. E., Robins, R. W., Poulton, R., & Caspi, A. (2006). Low self-esteem during adolescence predicts poor health, criminal
behavior, and limited economic prospects during adulthood. Developmental Psychology, 42(2), 381-390. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.42.2.381