Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


bgsu1194292163.pdf (284.28 KB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Romantic Partners, Friends, and Parents: Enmeshment in Networks Characterized by Deviance and Adolescent Delinquency

Lonardo, Robert A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1194292163

Abstract Details

2007, Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, Sociology.
Adolescents are members of several social networks, yet research on social learning mechanisms related to delinquency has not explicitly examined the associated risks of differential exposure to deviance across the various social networks with which youths are affiliated (romantic partners, friends, and parents). Employing data from Wave 1 of the Toledo Adolescent Relationship Study (n=957), this analysis has four main objectives. The analysis first explores whether romantic partners’ delinquency is significantly related to the respondents’ own levels of delinquency involvement, after taking parent and peer deviance into account. The remaining objectives include categorizing the adolescents by level and type of network ‘enmeshment’ in deviance, and examining the relationships between these network classifications and self-reported delinquent behaviors. First, controlling for demographic characteristics and measures of social control, all three deviance variables contribute significantly to variation in levels of respondent delinquency. Second, the distributions of respondents by level and type of enmeshment in deviance indicate that adolescents are members of very diverse social networks, with a majority in a ‘mixed’ network (that is, they are affiliated with both prosocial and deviant network members). Third, involvement in a greater number of network domains characterized by deviant behavior is associated with significantly greater delinquency involvement. Additionally, ‘encapsulation,’ or the situation in which all of the adolescent’s network affiliations are highly deviant, was more strongly related to boys’ rather than girls’ delinquency. Last, results suggest that high romantic partner deviance is positively associated with increases in respondent delinquency when compared to other types of network enmeshment. This finding highlights that the romantic partner and not just parents and peers should be considered in understanding the role of social networks as influences on delinquency involvement. Overall, the results highlight the importance of capturing the adolescent’s entire network of affiliations, rather than viewing these in isolation. Similarly, intervention and prevention efforts should target multiple sources of influence, and recognize that youths fully ‘encapsulated’ in deviant networks are likely to be at especially high risk for involvement in problem behaviors.
Peggy Giordano (Advisor)
Sociology, Criminology and Penology
adolescence; delinquency; social learning; social network deviance

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lonardo, R. A. (2007). Romantic Partners, Friends, and Parents: Enmeshment in Networks Characterized by Deviance and Adolescent Delinquency [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1194292163

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lonardo, Robert. Romantic Partners, Friends, and Parents: Enmeshment in Networks Characterized by Deviance and Adolescent Delinquency. 2007. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1194292163.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lonardo, Robert. "Romantic Partners, Friends, and Parents: Enmeshment in Networks Characterized by Deviance and Adolescent Delinquency." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1194292163

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1194292163
1,237
© 2007, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.