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Long-Term Effects of Adolescent Negative Self-Feelings on Adult Deviance: Moderated by Neighborhood Disadvantage, Mediated by Expectations

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Abstract

This paper tests two competing hypotheses, derived from general strain and middle class measuring rod theories, regarding the moderating effects of neighborhood disadvantage on the long-term relationship between adolescent negative self-feelings and adult deviance. The results from longitudinal data support the middle class measuring rod theory: adolescent negative self-feelings increase adult deviance only in middle status neighborhoods and not in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods. Furthermore, this effect in middle status neighborhoods is mediated by low expectations of the future in while still in adolescence. Our findings show the importance of studying the combination of both the social psychological and the contextual influences on deviance.

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Notes

  1. We compared these two groups based on the wave 1 variables. Using Chi-square and T-tests we did find some differences between these two groups based on descriptive statistics. The group that was eligible but was not interviewed has a higher proportion of male respondents (p < .001) and a higher proportion of African American respondents (p < .05) than the group that was actually interviewed. They are also more likely to have experienced economic difficulties in adolescence (p < .05) and more likely to have low expectations of the future (p < .05). The average level of deviance is slightly higher in the group that was not interviewed (p < .001); however, there is no difference in the levels of negative self-feelings.

    The aim of this paper, however, is not to describe a certain population. Rather, it is to understand the relationships between different variables. To test whether the relationships between the wave 1 variables are the same for both groups, three relationships are relevant, thus three models were estimated: 1) the effect of deviance on negative self-feelings (linear regression); 2) the effect of deviance on expectations of the future (binary logistic regression); and 3) the effect of negative self-feelings on expectations of the future (binary logistic regression). The interaction effects between the main predictor and group membership (interviewed in wave 3 vs. eligible, but not interviewed in wave 3) informed us whether the effects are different among those who were interviewed and those who were not. All of the interaction terms in these three models were insignificant (the results tables for this analysis can be obtained from authors by request). Furthermore, we also estimated the same models in each neighborhood group (affluent; middle status; and poor neighborhoods) and the interaction terms remained insignificant. Therefore, we can conclude that the relationships between the variables of interest do not vary between the group that was actually interviewed, and the group that was eligible but not included in the study.

  2. Similar results are obtained if we estimate poisson regression or a more common, but statistically less appropriate linear regression models.

  3. Negative self-feelings increase deviance only in neighborhoods with one economic problem also if we control for the presence of deviant peers.

  4. More detailed results can be obtained from the authors by request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sociology Department, University of Central Florida, Phillips Hall, Room 403, 4000 Central Florida Blvd, Orlando, FL, 32816-1360, USA

    Heili Pals

  2. Sociology Department, Texas A&M University, Mail Stop 4351, College Station, TX, 77843-4351, USA

    Howard B. Kaplan

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Pals, H., Kaplan, H.B. Long-Term Effects of Adolescent Negative Self-Feelings on Adult Deviance: Moderated by Neighborhood Disadvantage, Mediated by Expectations. Am J Crim Just 38, 348–368 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-012-9178-y

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