Familial correlates of deliquent behaviour among School going adolescents in Chingola, Zambia

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate familial correlates of delinquent behaviour among school going adolescents in Chingola, Zambia. The study employed a quantitative cross sectional approach and targeted 186 pupils, 106 boys and 80 girls from Luano Basic School, Chamakubi Basic School, Chingola Basic School, Sekela and Chingola secondary schools of Chingola District. An adapted standard questionnaire used by Zenzile (2008) in the Self Report Survey of Juvenile delinquency among secondary school pupils in Mthatha District, South Africa was used in this study. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed to generate descriptive data. Chi Square tests of independence and phi coefficient correlation were performed. The results show that single-parent family structure is significantly associated with delinquent behaviour as indicated by chi square and the phi coefficient tests. A global analysis of parental control and delinquency was also done and an examination of the chi square and phi coefficient values show that there was an association between the two variables.The practical implication of this study’s findings is that there are higher levels of delinquency in single-parent family structures than in two-parent family structures suggesting low parental control in the former and high control in the latter notwithstanding other mediating variables that were not captured. We can also make a presupposition that other than family structures and parental control, the environment and gender in Chingola could be factors of delinquency. The study has also established that low levels of parental control in Chingola are highly associated with adolescents’ delinquent behaviour. The study indicates that the level of delinquency in Chingola is high as 51.1 percent respondents were insignificant deviants while 48.9 percent were absolute deviants. The study’s recommendations are that future research focuses or tests individual and environmental theories to determine their roles in delinquent behaviour. In this way, patterns of social competence, pro social behaviour, antisocial behaviour and behaviour problems in early childhood may be assessed to see the link with delinquency. It is also recommended that future research consider embarking on qualitative research to bring out salient features around the topic which quantitative research may not bring forth. In this way, observations from lived experiences for instance will be handy in describing the real situation