Parental behavior and the distinction between sexual and nonsexual delinquency

This study explored parental behaviors toward two groups of male adolescent delinquents: (a) those who had engaged in both sexual and nonsexual offenses, and (b) those whose delinquency had been entirely nonsexual in nature. Behavior of female and male caregivers toward the adolescents, as described by the adolescents as well as by the caregivers, was studied. The theoretical approach employed was Green and Werner's two-dimensional reconceptualization of the enmeshment-disengagement continuum into the factors of intrusiveness and closeness-caregiving.; Adolescent participants were 88 volunteers from correctional and treatment programs in Indiana. Ohio, and Illinois who had admitted to at least two delinquent offenses. Adolescents were classified into two groups: Sexual/Dual Offenders and Delinquents. Adolescents completed the California Inventory for Family Assessment (CIFA) to describe the behavior of their female primary caregiver and male primary caregiver toward them, an adaptation of Bischof's self-report Delinquency Scale, asking them about their criminal history, and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale.; Caregivers of twenty-five Sexual/Dual Offenders and caregivers of six Delinquent adolescents also participated. Each used the CIFA to describe his or her own behavior toward the adolescent. A background information questionnaire and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale also were administered to each caregiver.; From the perspective of adolescents and their caregivers, caregivers of Sexual/Dual Offenders and were found not to differ from caregivers of Delinquents in intrusiveness, closeness-caregiving or openness of communication toward the adolescents. Overall, sons described both male and female caregivers as higher in conflict avoidance than did the caregivers. They additionally described female caregivers as higher in separation anxiety and lower in nurturance, and male caregivers as higher in possessiveness jealousy, than did the caregivers. Degree of similarity between caregivers' and adolescents' perceptions of female caregivers' behavior did not differ significantly across groups. Aspects of female caregivers' behavior, as reported by Sexual/Dual Offenders and by their female caregivers, were found to be associated with the severity of nonsexual offense.; Implications were drawn for treatment of sexual offenders and delinquents in general, as well as of their caregivers. Limitations of this study and directions for future research were also discussed.