文摘
Approximately three million children under the age of 18 are exposed to family conflict and/or are living with a parent or caregiver using alcohol and /or illicit drugs (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,(SAMHSA) 2011). The goal of this study was to examine if there is a relationship between family conflict and delinquency in males 10-17 years of age,and if parental substance abuse is related to substance abuse in males 10-17 years of age. The study is a secondary analysis of data collected by Gaudin,Polansky,Kilpatrick & Shilton (1996) in conjunction with National Data Achieve on Child Abuse and Neglect. The sample included 80 children 10-17 years of age from 60 families. Findings did not demonstrate a relationship in this study between parental substance abuse and substance abuse in males 10-17 years of age. However,this study discovered a relationship between that family conflict and delinquency in males 10-17 years of age. The findings of this study emphasize the need to further investigate the relationship between the family environment and adolescent problem behaviors. Understanding the complexities of family conflict is important to researchers and clinicians developing prevention and intervention programs for youth and their families.