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Empathy as a Mediator of the Relationship between Authoritative Parenting and Delinquent Behavior in Adolescence

Journal of Youth and Adolescence volume 50, pages 1308–1318 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

The characteristics of authoritative parenting, including high parental nurturance and appropriate control, are protective against adolescents’ delinquency. However, the mediating psychological mechanisms are not well understood. This three-wave longitudinal study with 704 adolescents (52% males; 76% African American) investigated empathy at age 13 as a mediator of the prospective association between authoritative parenting (child’s disclosure and parental nurturance) at age 11 with delinquency at age 18. The results of a structural equation model revealed a significant indirect effect of authoritative parenting on delinquency through empathy. Authoritative parenting at age 11 predicted increased empathy at age 13, which then predicted decreased delinquency at age 18. These findings suggest that authoritative parenting reduces adolescents’ delinquency by promoting empathy.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grants R49-CCR418569 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and K01DA024700 from the National Institutes of Health.

Authors’ Contributions

M. G. conceived of the study, performed the statistical analyses, and drafted the manuscript. S. M. contributed to the study design, helped with statistical analyses and interpretation, and revised manuscript content. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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  1. Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, CH415, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA

    Marlon Goering & Sylvie Mrug

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  1. Marlon Goering
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Correspondence to Marlon Goering.

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Goering, M., Mrug, S. Empathy as a Mediator of the Relationship between Authoritative Parenting and Delinquent Behavior in Adolescence. J Youth Adolescence 50, 1308–1318 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01445-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01445-9

Keywords

  • Authoritative parenting
  • Empathy
  • Delinquency
  • Mediation