The Effect of Parental Monitoring and Moral Identity on Youth Delinquency
Keywords:
Youth delinquency, parental monitoring, moral identity, adolescent behavior, BangladeshAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of parental monitoring and moral identity on youth delinquency among adolescents in Bangladesh.
Methods and Materials: A correlational descriptive design was employed using a sample of 403 adolescents aged 14 to 18 years, selected through stratified random sampling based on the Morgan and Krejcie table. Participants were recruited from secondary schools across urban and semi-urban areas in Bangladesh. Data were collected using three standard self-report instruments: the Self-Reported Delinquency Scale (SRDS) by Elliott et al. (1985), the Parental Monitoring Scale by Stattin and Kerr (2000), and the Moral Identity Questionnaire by Aquino and Reed (2002). All instruments demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability in prior research. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 27, involving descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation to assess bivariate relationships, and linear regression to evaluate the combined predictive value of parental monitoring and moral identity on youth delinquency.
Findings: The results revealed significant negative correlations between youth delinquency and both parental monitoring (r = –.52, p < .001) and moral identity (r = –.47, p < .001). Linear regression analysis indicated that parental monitoring and moral identity together significantly predicted youth delinquency (R² = .38, F(2, 400) = 122.61, p < .001). Parental monitoring (β = –.41, p < .001) emerged as a slightly stronger predictor than moral identity (β = –.35, p < .001), suggesting that both external supervision and internal value systems independently contribute to the reduction of delinquent behavior.
Conclusion: The findings highlight the critical role of both parental monitoring and moral identity in deterring youth delinquency. Intervention programs targeting adolescent behavior should integrate family-based strategies that promote effective monitoring and support the development of moral identity to enhance protective factors against deviance.
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