Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Self-Control and Youth Victimization in Saudi Arabia: A Test of the Generality Thesis

Chamberlin, Victoria A

Abstract Details

2019, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Criminal Justice.
Based on Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) general theory of crime, research has shown that low self-control is a consistent and significant predictor of criminal behavior, with general effects across diverse contexts and populations. Starting with the path-breaking work of Schreck (1999), this perspective has been used to explain not only criminal involvement but also crime victimization. Research for two decades has revealed that low self-control has general effects on victimization across both domestic and international contexts. Extant international studies of the theory, however, have been undertaken in nations similar in culture and economy to the United States. To address this limitation, the current project tests the generality thesis of low self-control in the notoriously private and under-studied country of Saudi Arabia. Because its culture, values, and social structure vary greatly from those of the United States, demonstrating significant effects of low self-control in Saudi Arabia would speak strongly to the general effects of low self-control, regardless of social context. Notably, beyond the low self-control perspective, lifestyle-routine activity theory (L-RAT) has demonstrated significant predictive ability in explaining victimization. Given L-RAT’s prominence, the current project also examines the effects of L-RAT measures on the victimization experiences of Saudi youths. These analyses thus assess the robustness of low self-control as a source of victimization while controlling for respondents’ lifestyles. The data for this study are drawn from a secondary dataset from a collaborative study by American and Saudi scholars. The data were collected in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which is a city of 3 million residents. The sample includes 500 males and 500 females in grades 10th through 12th, who were surveyed across eight different schools. The survey collected responses on a range of behaviors and experiences, from delinquent involvement to types of victimization. Linear and logistic regression were used to estimate the effects on youth victimization of low self-control and L-RAT variable (i.e., delinquent involvement, peer delinquency, and parental guardianship). General effects of low self-control were found across all estimations in this project, indicating that victimization is driven by individual characteristics common to all people, regardless of social context. General effects of certain L-RAT measures were also found. Specifically, delinquent peers was a significant predictor of victimization across all estimations, which suggests that the victim-offender overlap may exist across social contexts. Additionally, an examination of gender differences in the sample suggests that female lifestyles are more influential on victimization experiences than are male lifestyles. Findings from this project support the generality of the effects of both low self-control and L-RAT variables, indicating that a marrying of the two theories may be beneficial to a more comprehensive understanding victimization experiences. These findings hold policy implications for Saudi Arabia, particularly in regards to building high self-control in young Saudis. Future research implications include a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the low self-control/victimization link as well as consideration and refinement of L-RAT measures.
John Wright, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Francis Cullen, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Cheryl Lero Jonson, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Pamela Wilcox, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
139 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Chamberlin, V. A. (2019). Self-Control and Youth Victimization in Saudi Arabia: A Test of the Generality Thesis [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1563527796860359

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Chamberlin, Victoria. Self-Control and Youth Victimization in Saudi Arabia: A Test of the Generality Thesis. 2019. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1563527796860359.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Chamberlin, Victoria. "Self-Control and Youth Victimization in Saudi Arabia: A Test of the Generality Thesis." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1563527796860359

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)