Poor Parenting on Underage Drinking Through Frustration and Impulsivity

Underage drinking continues to be a perilous social problem in the United States with its numerous negative consequences. Contributing to our understanding of this issue, the current study examined the relationship between poor parenting, frustration, impulsivity, and underage drinking. Based on the theoretical framework of Agnew’s general strain theory (GST), this study tested three structural models with national youth data ( N = 5,030). Results showed that poor parenting had a significant influence on frustration, impulsivity, and underage drinking. Particularly, frustration and impulsivity mediated the relationship between poor parenting and underage drinking. Further, impulsivity played a crucial role in GST. Additionally, an alternative model with a potential mediator (i.e., impulsivity) will provide insight to further our understanding of underage drinking.

A Test of General Strain Theory: Explaining Intimate Partner Violence and Alcohol Use Among Black Women

Using a sample of 291 Black women and a longitudinal study, we explore how general strain theory can broaden our understanding of Black women’s alcohol use and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Results demonstrated that racial discrimination, past IPV and sexual victimization, and family member’s victimization heightened depression, which increased heavy alcohol use. Discrimination and family victimization also elevated anger, leading to greater IPV perpetration. Results further revealed that depression and anger interacted to influence IPV. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers must continue to pursue culturally sensitive practices to effectively address this unique constellation of strains and advocate for the needs of Black women.

Explaining Latinx Youth Delinquency: A Gendered Test of Latinx General Strain Theory

Recently, scholars have reintroduced a Latinx general strain theory in which it is suggested that ethnic-specific strains, including acculturation, are driving forces for criminal and delinquent behaviors among the Latinx population. Using data collected from the Dating Violence Among Latino Adolescents (DAVILA) Study, this study investigated whether these ethnic strains influenced delinquency differently based on the respondent's gender. Results indicate that boys engaged in more delinquent behaviors than girls, whereas girls were more acculturated than boys. Depression, anxiety, and social support were more prevalent among girls than among boys. In addition, girls were more likely to be enculturated and perform better in school than boys. Acculturation did not significantly predict delinquency for either boys or girls. In contrast, polyvictimization was the only variable to consistently predict delinquency among boys and girls. Results provided partial support for the hypotheses, in that, while depression and anxiety varied by gender as predicted by the gendered general strain theory, the ethnic-specific strain of acculturation failed to predict delinquent behavior in this sample. Ultimately, this study highlights the need to examine other ethnic-specific strains to better understand delinquent behavior among Latinx youth.

An Exploratory Study of COVID-19’s Impact on Psychological Distress and Antisocial Behavior Among Justice-Involved Youth

Little is known about how justice-involved youth are coping with stress related to COVID-19. This study examined changes in psychological distress and antisocial behavior indicators among 557 youths on probation who completed two assessments during pre-COVID-19 conditions and two assessments during post-COVID-19 conditions. Drawing from Agnew’s General Strain Theory, the study used multivariate latent growth models to examine: (a) changes in psychological distress and antisocial behavior over time, (b) the associations of the changes, and (c) differences across sex, race, and ethnicity regarding changes in psychological distress. In support of General Strain Theory, results highlight that indicators of psychological distress and antisocial behavior increased during post-COVID-19 conditions when compared to pre-COVID-19 conditions for the full sample and for subsamples of youth categorized by sex, race, and ethnicity.

Do Negative Emotions Matter? Paths From Victimization to Cyber and Traditional Bullying From a General Strain Theory Perspective

Drawing on theoretical propositions of general strain theory (GST), the current study aims to examine whether general victimization as a source of criminogenic strain predicts two different types of bullying, traditional and cyberbullying perpetrations, and whether negative emotionality, such as trait-based anger and depression, conditions the effects of general victimization on bullying. Using a Korean adolescent sample, we adopt cross-lagged dynamic panel models to investigate the longitudinal effects and interactions of strain and negative emotionality. The results indicate a significant influence of general victimization on both types of bullying perpetrations, as expected, while the conditioning effects of negative emotionality are found only for traditional bullying, which may reflect differences in the nature of the two different forms of bullying.

Bullying Victimization and Weapon Carrying: A Partial Test of General Strain Theory

Much of the existing research on adolescent firearm and weapon carrying lacks a theoretical framework. Relatedly, few studies have examined the relationship between weapon carrying and bullying victimization experienced at school, which has been established as a key strain in adolescence. The present study seeks to provide a partial test of general strain theory as a theoretical framework to explain adolescent weapon carrying. Using a large U.S. sample of 7th through 10th grade students ( n = 8,867), I find qualified support for general strain theory. While an index measure of bullying victimization was positively associated with weapon carrying as expected, two measures assessing specific forms of bullying victimization had nonlinear effects that are inconsistent with the theory. The proportion of one’s friends who carry weapons was consistently one of the strongest predictors of a respondent’s own weapon carrying. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Strain During Reentry: A Test of General Strain Theory Using a Sample of Adult Former Prisoners

The majority of reentry studies focus on identifying different dimensions of reentry needs among released prisoners. Less explored is the mechanism by which unfulfilled reentry needs cause reentry failure. Applying the general strain theoretical perspective, this study aims to use an emotional and psychological prism to explain why released prisoners are likely to experience reentry failure when their reentry needs are not met. Findings demonstrate that the strains from financial difficulty and family neglect are positively associated with post-release criminal propensity, and depression noticeably mediated the effects of strains. Implications for correctional policymaking and future research are discussed.