Does the theory of planned behavior elements mediate the relationship between perceived constraints and intention to participate in physical activities? A study among older individuals

This study aimed to investigate the degree to which the elements of the theory of planned behavior mediate the relationship between constraints and intention to continuing participation in physical activities. The sample of the study consisted of 119 (N = 119) older individuals who participated in organized physical activity programs. The results indicated that attitudes and perceived behavioral control were negatively correlated with constraints, whereas the subjective norm variable had no relationship with them. In terms of the mediation role of the elements of the theory of planned behavior, the results indicated that both attitudes and perceived behavioral control partially mediated the relationship between constraints and intention, with the perceived behavioral control variable being the strongest mediator. These findings suggest that the theory of planned behavior elements mediate the constraints–intention relationship and determine, in a large degree, the older individuals’ intention to continuing taking part in physical activities.     

Reciprocal Effects Between Parental Solicitation, Parental Control, Adolescent Disclosure, and Adolescent Delinquency

This two-wave multi-informant study examined the bidirectional associations of parental control and solicitation with adolescent disclosure and delinquency. Participants were 289 adolescents (150 females and 139 males, modal age 14) and both parents. Parental solicitation and control did not predict adolescent delinquency, but adolescents' self-reported disclosure was a negative predictor of delinquency. In addition, delinquency predicted less disclosure. Furthermore, maternal solicitation predicted disclosure and adolescent disclosure predicted parental solicitation. All relations held after controlling for leisure time spent with parents and with peers. These longitudinal findings show an overlap in the development of parental solicitation and the development of adolescent disclosure, but also show that only adolescent disclosure is negatively related to delinquency over time.     

Family Factors,Theft, Vandalism,and Major Deviance Among a Multiracial/Multiethnic Sample of Adolescent Girls

This article reports on a study of 503 African-American, Hispanic, and White non-Hispanic adolescent girls attending public schools in Miami, Florida. The primary objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of 13 self-reported delinquent behaviors in the sample, to compare these rates among the three groups of students, and to explore the predictive influences of several family factors that correlate with delinquency. It was found that 37.5% of the sample engaged in one or more acts of serious delinquency, with African-Americans reporting they had engaged in significantly more of these behaviors. The best predictors of theft/vandalism were low family pride and family substance abuse for Hispanics, low family communication for African-Americans, and low family pride for White non-Hispanics. The findings indicate that traditional family factors that have been used repeatedly to understand delinquency by male adolescents were not strong predictors of delinquency among the adolescent girls in the sample.     

Family Factors, Theft, Vandalism, and Major Deviance Among a Multiracial/Multiethnic Sample of Adolescent Girls

This article reports on a study of 503 African-American, Hispanic, and White non-Hispanic adolescent girls attending public schools in Miami, Florida, The primary objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of 13 self-reported delinquent behaviors in the sample, to compare these rates among the three groups of students, and to explore the predictive influences of several family factors that correlate with delinquency. It was found that 37.5% of the sample engaged in one or more acts of serious delinquency, with African-Americans reporting they had engaged in significantly more of these behaviors. The best predictors of theft/vandalism were low family pride and family substance abuse for Hispanics, low family communication for African-Americans, and low family pride for White non-Hispanics. The findings indicate that traditional family factors that have been used repeatedly to understand delinquency by male adolescents were not strong predictors of delinquency among the adolescent girls in the sample.     

Sociologists on trial: Theoretical competition and juror reasoning

This paper examines the work of sociologists as expert witnesses and how sociological theory is used in criminal trials. The study describes how alternative sociological theories were propounded by sociologist expert witnesses and used by competing lawyers to establish the correct understanding of the case. The paper indicates that the sociological testimony was relevant to the deliberations and verdicts and details how the judge’s and jurors’ practical treatment of the law and evidence reconciled the adversaries’ mutually exclusive, partisan positions and the theoretical bases for those positions.     

Substance Use,the Social Bond,and Delinquency*

This research integrated elements from the drugs‐delinquency field with life course criminology to examine the reciprocal relationship between substance use and delinquency during adolescence. Data from three waves of the National Youth Survey were used to examine research hypotheses. Findings indicate that there were significant direct and indirect effects. There was evidence of stability in both behaviors, prior substance use predicted future substance use and prior delinquency predicted future delinquency. In addition, prior substance use predicted future delinquency and prior delinquency predicted future substance use. This was due, in part, to the significant indirect connections in the relationship between substance use and delinquency. It appears that substance use and delinquency weaken the social bond, which leads to continued substance use and delinquency.     

Race,Substance Abuse,and Mental Health Disorders as Predictors of Juvenile Court Outcomes: Do They Vary By Gender?

Predicting juvenile court outcomes based on youthful offenders’ delinquency risk factors is important for the adolescent social work field as well as the juvenile justice system. Using a random sample of 341 delinquent youth from one Midwestern urban county, this study extends previous research by examining if race, substance abuse, and mental health disorders influence important delinquency outcomes (number of court offenses, felony conviction(s), probation supervision length, detention length, and number of probation services) differently for male and female juvenile offenders. Multivariate analysis findings revealed that race was significant only for males, and having a substance use disorder was a stronger predictor of delinquency outcomes for males; whereas, having a mental health disorder was a stronger predictor of delinquency outcomes for females. Implications for this research include the importance of early disorder identification and subsequent availability of gender-focused treatment.     

Exploring the Relationship Between Homelessness and Delinquency: A Snapshot of a Group of Homeless Youth in San Jose, California

This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study examining the relationship between homelessness and delinquency in adolescents. Researchers collected data from interviews of 42 homeless youth contacted through a drop-in center in San Jose, California. Participants responded to a structured interview as well as two vignettes describing situations in which crimes were committed. The most striking findings are that (1) reported rates of delinquency are higher than expected based on past research, and (2) despite the high rates of delinquency, answers to a “three wishes” question describe wishes and ideals that are largely consistent with mainstream societal values. This paper provides a survey of existing research on homeless youth and delinquency, a comparison of our findings to those of previous studies, and two detailed case studies that highlight the patterns we observed in the broader survey.     

The importance of moral reflection and self-reported data in a dictator game with production

This article studies how individual behavior is affected by moral reflection in a dictator game with production. We make individuals reflect on fairness, in a structured way, before they play the dictator game. Our results suggest that moral reflection not only increases the weight people attach to fairness in distributive choices, but also has a strong effect on what people consider fair. Furthermore, we study the informational value of self-reported data. We find that self-reported data have substantial informational value, but do not add explanatory power to a random utility model estimated on purely behavioral data. Finally, we study whether there is a self-serving bias in the participants’ fairness perceptions, but do not find much evidence of this phenomenon in the data.     

Do youth with substantiated child maltreatment investigations have distinct patterns of delinquent behaviors?

Delinquency studies often use substantiation as a proxy for child maltreatment, but may underestimate maltreatment involved in unsubstantiated reports. This study assesses whether youth with unsubstantiated investigations have distinct subtypes of delinquency as compared to youth with substantiated reports. We conclude that while the subtypes of delinquency are similar, some differences between the two groups underscore the need to study the larger population of unsubstantiated investigations, which comprise 81.5% of investigations. To compare the groups we used two-group latent class analysis, and then regressed covariates onto the resulting subtypes. The sample consisted of 432 11–17 year old participants in Wave 1 of the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II) with no prior investigations; 191 youth had unsubstantiated investigations and 241 youth had substantiated investigations. We identified three similar subtypes for both groups: delinquency, petty theft, and normative. We found two differences: First, more unsubstantiated youth were normative subtype members and fewer were in the petty theft and delinquency subtypes. Second, delinquency subtype youth with unsubstantiated investigations were more likely to attack with a weapon, steal or try to steal things worth between $50 and $100, and shoplift. In contrast, substantiated youth were more likely to carry a hidden weapon. When covariates were included we found that being male reduced the likelihood of being in the petty theft subtype. For substantiated cases, being older or male increased the likelihood of being in the delinquency subtype. Our findings of high probabilities of marijuana and inhalant use among delinquency subtype youth for both groups is a target for interventions.     

Workplace Policy and Environment,Family Role Quality,and Positive Family-to-Work Spillover

We used role theory to direct our analysis of the association between family-friendly policies, workplace environment, family role quality, and positive spillover from family to work. Taking data from 104 dual-earner couples with children living in Utah, we examined the influence of both partners’ access to family-friendly policies, both partners’ workplace environments, and the family role quality reported by the couple. We found that family role quality was significantly associated with positive family-to-work spillover for men and women. In addition, women’s own workplace culture and the ability of women’s partners to leave work to care for children were associated with women’s positive family-to-work spillover. These findings were viewed through the lens of gender theory and traditionally structured institutions and roles.     

Hong Kong Parents’ Perceptions and Experiences of Involvement in Homework: A Family Capital and Resource Management Perspective

This qualitative study examines Hong Kong Chinese parents’ perceptions and experiences of involving in their primary school children’s homework process. It draws upon the theoretical frameworks of family capital theory and family resource management perspective to explicate the role of parents in enhancing children’s homework outcomes. Information was collected through individual and focus-group interviews with 52 parents who had at least one child attending primary school. Findings of this study provide a glimpse into the range of homework-involvement strategies used by Chinese parents, and reveal parental goals and cultural values embedded in the generation of family capital. Such understanding on parental involvement is helpful for schools and policy-makers in cultivating parents’ participation in home-based learning processes for children.     

Race differences in antisocial behaviors and attitudes and early initiation of substance use.

This article examines racial differences in self-reported delinquency, school trouble, antisocial attitudes, and toughness and in teacher-rated aggressive and inattentive behaviors among fifth grade black, white, and Asian American subjects. Also examined are the relationships of these variables to substance initiation within each racial group. Controlling for socio-economic status, racial groups differed from one another in self-reported delinquency, school trouble and toughness, and in teacher-rated aggressiveness and inattention. Antisocial behavior and attitudes were stronger predictors of substance initiation for Asian American than for black and white children. For white children both self-reported and teacher-rated behavior were significantly related to substance initiation. For black children, only self-reported antisocial behavior, and for Asian American children only self-reported delinquent behavior and attitudes predicted substance initiation. Implications for prevention and research are discussed.     

Consumer Culture Theory,Nonverbal Communication,and Contemporary Politics: Considering Context and Embracing Complexity

This commentary addresses Olivola and Todorov’s “Elected in 100 ms: Appearance-Based Trait Inferences and Voting” and considers its valuable contribution to the field of nonverbal communication. This work suggests that contemporary politics and voting behavior are so complex that they can be better understood outside of laboratory settings where the vital elements on culture and context come into play. By using consumer culture theory and other cultural theories of branding, this commentary evaluates elements of Barack Obama’s presidential run, and considers why his campaign resonated so well with voters in contemporary United States culture.     

Attention to Speech-Accompanying Gestures: Eye Movements and Information Uptake

There is growing evidence that addressees in interaction integrate the semantic information conveyed by speakers’ gestures. Little is known, however, about whether and how addressees’ attention to gestures and the integration of gestural information can be modulated. This study examines the influence of a social factor (speakers’ gaze to their own gestures), and two physical factors (the gesture’s location in gesture space and gestural holds) on addressees’ overt visual attention to gestures (direct fixations of gestures) and their uptake of gestural information. It also examines the relationship between gaze and uptake. The results indicate that addressees’ overt visual attention to gestures is affected both by speakers’ gaze and holds but for different reasons, whereas location in space plays no role. Addressees’ uptake of gesture information is only influenced by speakers’ gaze. There is little evidence of a direct relationship between addressees’ direct fixations of gestures and their uptake.     

The Class-Delinquency Hypothesis and Juvenile Justice System Bias

This paper addresses the issue of the relationship between social class and delinquency to determine if the discrepancy between findings with official versus selfreport data can he resolved. Methodological suggestions which numerous researchers have suggested might explicate the discrepancy were incorporated. These include the use of a disproportionatc stratified sample to facilitate focus on relativcly serious self-reported delinquent behavior, separate analyses of subscales representing different domains of delinquency, and operationalization of social class by multiple indicators, including some consistent with the concept of an underclass. It was found that only offenses against persons consistently correlate negatively with measures of social class. However, analysis of self-reported contacts with police and courts suggests the presence of social class biases in the juvenile justice process and raises questions concerning the appropriateness of using disproportionate stratified samples in this context.     

The availability of child care centers,perceived search costs and parental life satisfaction

The supply of formal childcare has expanded in many developed countries. However, there is ambiguity in the theory whether the entry of care providers increases consumers’ surplus in a market with differentiated services, such as childcare. This study empirically investigates how perceived search costs and parental life satisfaction change when actual childcare availability is altered. It exploits the new panel data from Australia on the number of center-based childcare places per 100 children within a household’s residential area. The results show that an increase in the availability of center-based childcare is associated with a decrease in perceived difficulty in finding ‘good quality’ childcare, as well as an increase in mothers’ satisfaction with the amount of free time available. These findings imply that the local availability of center-based childcare has enhanced the subjective well-being of parents.     

The effects of gender,age, and parental attachment on delinquency: A test for interactions

A recent interest in juvenile delinquency is the effect of parental attachment on delinquency for males and females. This study contributes to this research by demonstrating that the effect of gender on the relationship between parental attachment and delinquency depends on age. The inverse effect of virtual supervision on delinquency is significantly greater for males at age 15 than at age 11, and significantly greater for males than for females at age 15. The inverse effect of intimacy of communication on delinquency is significantly greater for males at age 11 than at age 18, and significantly greater for females than for males at age 18. The implications of these results for Hirschi's theory and future research comparing male and female delinquency are discussed.     

Parents’ Beliefs about Emotions and Children’s Recognition of Parents’ Emotions

This study investigated parents’ emotion-related beliefs, experience, and expression, and children’s recognition of their parents’ emotions with 40 parent-child dyads. Parents reported beliefs about danger and guidance of children’s emotions. While viewing emotion-eliciting film clips, parents self-reported their emotional experience and masking of emotion. Children and observers rated videos of parents watching emotion-eliciting film clips. Fathers reported more masking than mothers and their emotional expressions were more difficult for both observers and children to recognize compared with mothers’ emotional expressions. For fathers, but not mothers, showing clearer expressions was related to children’s general skill at recognizing emotional expressions. Parents who believe emotions are dangerous reported greater masking of emotional expression. Contrary to hypothesis, when parents strongly believe in guiding their child’s emotion socialization, children showed less accurate recognition of their parents’ emotions.

Parallel Process of Posttraumatic Stress and Externalizing Problems Among Youth at High Risk for Victimization

Research shows comorbidity between posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and externalizing problems among polyvictimized youth. However, the impact of polyvictimization on the longitudinal co-development of PTSS and distinct forms of externalizing problems remains unclear. Growth trajectory modeling was used to address this gap. At ages 8, 12, and 16, polyvictimization was measured using youth, caregiver, and official records; whereas youth self-reported PTSS and caregivers reported aggression and delinquency. Results demonstrate that changes in PTSS and each externalizing domain were independent. Further, polyvictimization and PTSS/aggression were only associated at concurrent time points. In contrast, polyvictimization and delinquency were generally associated at concurrent and distal time points, suggesting that polyvictimization may have a more enduring impact on youths' delinquent behaviors than other symptoms.