Deck 14: The Family

Question 1

Which of the following is considered a type of "broken home"?

A) natural mother and stepfather
B) teenage natural mother and natural father
C) mother and father both work outside the home
D) none of the above

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Overall, research indicates that broken homes have _____ effect on delinquency.

A) no
B) a small to moderate
C) a moderate to large
D) a large

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Research on the family and delinquency indicates that _________ better predicts delinquency than does __________.

A) family structure; parental crime/deviance
B) family structure; quality of family relationships
C) parental crime/deviance; family structure
D) parental crime/deviance; quality of family relationships

Answer 3

C

Question 4

______________ is one of the strongest family correlates to delinquency.

A) Teenage motherhood
B) Mother's employment outside the home
C) A broken home
D) Large family size
E) Parental rejection

Question 5

Which of the following family factors is not related to delinquency?

A) teenage motherhood
B) large family size
C) parental neglect of child
D) mother's employment outside the home

Question 6

________________ has (have) a causal effect on delinquency.

A) Conflict between parents and children
B) Conflict between spouses
C) Parental neglect of child
D) all of the above

Question 7

Studies examining the effects of child abuse on delinquency indicate that:

A) most abused individuals become delinquent
B) child abuse slightly decreases the likelihood for delinquency
C) neglect may have a stronger effect on delinquency than other types of abuse
D) child abuse is a very strong predictor of delinquency
E) the effects of physical abuse on delinquency are much stronger than the effects of other types of abuse

Question 8

In order to teach their children not to engage in delinquency, it is recommended that parents:

A) provide very strict rules
B) consistently sanction rule violations
C) intermittently sanction rule violations
D) spank their children for rule violations
E) none of the above

Question 9

In order to teach children to engage in conventional behaviors, it is suggested that parents:

A) provide direct instruction of cognitive skills
B) model behavioral skills
C) give informational support
D) offer emotional support
E) all of the above

Question 10

Delinquency is least likely when parents employ a warm and _____ parenting style.

A) firm
B) flexible
C) supportive
D) nondirective

Question 11

As discussed in the text, parents may employ poor parenting practices because they:

A) lack the traits necessary to be successful parents
B) have children with difficult temperaments that make parenting difficult
C) lack the knowledge to be successful parents
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 12

According to the textbook, children in broken homes are more likely to suffer from a range of problems, most notably:

A) poverty
B) delinquent siblings
C) indirect monitoring
D) social bonding

Question 13

According to the textbook, broken homes generally have a stronger effect on which type of offense?

A) running away
B) rape
C) robbery
D) homicide

Question 14

Recent data on teenage fathers suggest:

A) teenage fathers are likely to provide financial and emotional support for their children
B) teenage fathers are considered ideal role models for their children
C) teenage fathers have poorer health than non-teenage fathers
D) teenage fathers are more likely to increase their level of delinquency after their child is born

Question 15

According to Agnew and Brezina, juveniles' attachment to deviant parents:

A) may increase delinquency
B) may reduce delinquency
C) has no significant effect on delinquency
D) none of the above

Question 16

In today's society, one popular claim is that "the problem with kids today is that they lack effective discipline" and many researchers agree with this statement. What do researchers suggest that parents should do in order to deal with this issue?

A) Parents should practice permissive parenting.
B) Parents should return to more authoritarian parenting styles of the past.
C) Parents should use an authoritative style of parenting.
D) Parents should return to using harsh physical punishments.

Question 17

Juveniles from large families are:

A) slightly more likely to engage in delinquency
B) more likely to be exposed to delinquent siblings
C) subject to less adequate parental supervision
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 18

Which of the following statements regarding child abuse is TRUE?

A) Most cases of abuse are not detected by authorities.
B) The most common form of abuse is physical.
C) Early studies were accurate when estimating the effect of abuse on delinquency.
D) Abuse does not increase the likelihood of delinquency.

Question 19

Delinquency is most common among the children of parents who employ:

A) a warm and lax style of parenting
B) a cold and lax style of parenting
C) both a & b
D) none of the above

Question 20

Part of the association between poor parenting and child problem behavior is due to:

A) inadequate nutrition
B) genetic factors
C) delinquent peers
D) community structure

Question 21

Identify the four major areas of research on the family and delinquency.

Question 22

Jane and John are working parents with two young adolescent children. They are concerned that because they both work, their children are more likely to engage in delinquency. Given the research on the effects of mother's employment outside of the home on delinquency, would you suggest to Jane or John that one of them quit her or his job in order to stay home with their children? Explain your answer.

Question 23

Describe and explain the relationship between family size and delinquency.

Question 24

Some people might argue that juveniles with criminal/deviant parents are more likely to engage in delinquency because "criminal parents are more likely to model crime, reinforce crime, and teach values that favor crime." Defend or challenge this argument, using information provided in the text.

Question 25

Research data indicate that the quality of family relationships is associated with delinquency. Identify the four dimensions that constitute the quality of family relationships and, for each, discuss its effect on delinquency.

Question 26

Identify and describe the steps parents should take to teach their children not to engage in delinquency.

Question 27

How might you explain delinquency in homes where parents do their best to socialize their children to engage in conventional behavior?

Question 28

Describe three things that parents can do to teach their children to engage in conventional behavior.

Question 29

Drawing on the text, what should parents do to decrease the likelihood that their children will engage in delinquency?

Question 30

Discuss the styles of parenting that are most likely and least likely to produce delinquency.

Question 31

Explain why many parents employ poor parenting practices. Are there practical or plausible ways to increase good parenting techniques within families?

Question 32

Several states have passed laws that hold parents responsible for the criminal behavior of their children in certain circumstances. Do you think this is fair? Why or why not?

Question 33

According to the textbook, are broken homes a major cause of delinquency? What does the current research suggest?

Question 34

According to Agnew and Brezina, does placing juveniles in child-care facilities increase the likelihood of delinquency?

Question 35

Does research suggest that the authoritarian style of parenting is more or less common among today's parents? Explain your position.

Question 36

Some family researchers believe that permissive parenting styles are more detrimental in today's society than in the past. What arguments do they provide for this position?

Question 37

As discussed in the textbook, researchers have wondered whether the "true cause" of delinquency has more to do with the genes that delinquent children share with their parents than with the actual effects of poor parenting. Does the current research in this area support this position? Explain.

Question 38

What are some of the strains or stressors that parents may face that make it difficult for them to employ good parenting practices?

Question 39

How would a control theorist explain the relationship between child abuse and delinquency? Provide specific examples.