Ouderlijke monitoring en delinquent gedrag: de mediërende rol van deviante/prosociale vrienden.

Abstract

Background: The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediating effects of the amount of deviant and prosociale peers on the association between parental knowledge and adolescents’ delinquent behavior. . Indications are found in literature that deviant/prosocial peers mediate the association between parental knowledge and delinquent behavior. Method: The sample consists of 205 families with antisocial, delinquent adolescents signed in for multisystem therapy (MST). Using multiple regression analysis the hypotheses were answered. Results: The results indicate that both parental knowledge and deviant/prosocial peers have an influence on delinquent behavior. Furthermore, most of the associations between parental monitoring and adolescents’ delinquent behavior were found to be mediated by deviant and prosocial peers . Discussion: Further research should be conducted in which the distinction between deviant and prosociale peers, delinquent behavior reported by both the adolescent and the parent and different forms of parental monitoring should be included. In addition, the mediation effects of deviant and prosocial peers needs further investigation.