Family Structure and Parental Behavior: Identifying the Sources of Adolescent Self-Control

Abstract. According to Gottfredson and Hirschi and their general theory of (1990), self-control - defined as degree to which individuals are vulnerable to temptation - is a relatively stable, universal trait that accounts for individual differences in criminal, deviant, and reckless behavior. Self-control is said to develop in early childhood, while family is still most important socializing agent. Thus, absence of self-control and subsequent deviant activity are a result of familial factors. Using a large, nation-wide sample of Canadian children, this study examines effect of parenting on children's self-control while considering role of such factors as parental composition and household size. Analyses reveal that self-control varies by family structure, whereby children living with two biological parents report higher levels of self-control than children in reconstituted and single parent families. However, this relationship is offset, in part, by parental monitoring. Overall, regardless of family structure, it is evident that a nurturing, accepting family environment is positively associated with self-control. Keywords: self-control; adolescence; family structure; parental behavior Introduction Gottfredson and Hirschi's assertion that their general theory of explains crime, at all times and, for that matter, many forms of behavior that are not sanctioned by state (1990:117) has proven to be one of most controversial claims made by criminologists in recent years. According to Gottfredson and Hirschi, self-control, defined as degree to which individuals are vulnerable to temptation, is a relatively stable, universal trait that accounts for individual-level differences in criminal, deviant, and reckless behavior. Indeed, they use term synonymously with criminality, or propensity to commit crime, giving an indication of how large role of self-control is thought to play in commission of criminal acts. Later, they soften their assertions about primacy of self-control; age, gender, and race are also said to be important determinants of criminal activity (Hirschi and Gottfredson, 1995). Nevertheless, self-control is thought to be primary social characteristic that leads to and delinquency. To be sure, Gottfredson and Hirschi express in no uncertain terms, low self-control is the individual-level cause of crime (1990:232). Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) argue that their theory of is general in that it accounts for a multitude of criminal and noncriminal behaviors that transcend cultural boundaries. They define as any act of force or fraud undertaken in pursuit of self-interest (1990:15). Crime, then, is not restricted by definition to those activities that violate laws of a particular society at a particular point in time. The authors contend that, because their definition of does not follow cultural, behavioral, or legalistic guidelines, general theory is valid across time and space. That is, low self-control is primary cause of all types of and deviance, at all times and in all cultures. Furthermore, self-control is said to develop in early childhood, while family is still most important socializing agent. The absence of self-control, authors contend, is therefore a result of familial factors. It is this aspect of general theory that is focus of present investigation. While contention that low self-control leads to criminal and analogous acts has received much empirical attention, claim that family is source of low self-control has to date been of less interest to criminology researchers. As will be discussed in further detail, research that has sought to test this latter proposition is contradictory and offers only a modest degree of support for general theory. Self-Control Central to general theory of is assumption that humans have an innate tendency to seek immediate gratification of desires. …

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