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Full title: Social Bond Predictors of Developmental Trajectories of Online and Offline Juvenile Delinquency by Gender -Longitudinal Study Using Latent Class Growth Analysis-
Abstract
Juvenile delinquency which adversely affects adolescents’ adaptation can vary by type and gender. This study identified latent trajectories of on/offline delinquency by gender, which is lacking in the literature. Furthermore, the study explored whether social bond elements predict these latent trajectories. First, this study employed latent class growth analysis to identify latent trajectories of on/offline delinquency by gender from Waves 2-6 of the Korean Child and Youth Panel Survey data (N = 1,483). Second, multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the predictive power of social bonds to latent groups. Latent trajectories differed by type of delinquency and gender. For males, five groups were derived, showing higher levels and various delinquency patterns than female adolescents. Female adolescents, on the other hand, were classified into three groups, representing low levels of delinquency and declining trends. Higher level of parent attachment, commitment, and belief at baseline (second year of middle school) predicted the probability of belonging to low-risk trajectory, compared to other risk trajectories. However, lower peer attachment and involvement levels predicted membership in the low-risk trajectory, compared to other risk trajectories. Results derived from longitudinal data suggest the importance of using an integrated approach considering both type of delinquency and gender rather than only considering the experience of a specific behavior at a single time point. Development of a targeted program that reflects the characteristics of each latent trajectory is recommended.
Keywords
Juvenile Delinquency, Offline Delinquency, Online Delinquency, Social Bond, Latent Class Growth Analysis
Korean Journal of Youth Studies 26(8) 2019, 1 - 29