Sponsor
Portland State University. Department of Sociology
First Advisor
Lindsey Wilkinson
Date of Publication
Spring 6-9-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.) in Sociology
Department
Sociology
Language
English
Subjects
Problem youth -- Education, Student activities, Motivation in education, Prediction of criminal behavior, Juvenile delinquency
DOI
10.15760/etd.2991
Physical Description
1 online resource (iii, 55 pages)
Abstract
Research with adolescence demonstrates school involvement and attachment greatly influences students' outcomes and choices outside of their school environment. Many studies have addressed whether delinquent behavior while in adolescence is associated with various aspects of schooling, but there is limited research looking at the long-term effects schooling has on criminal behavior in adulthood. The purpose of this study was to assess whether students' attachment to their school or involvement in extracurricular activities at school shapes students' outcomes in adulthood--specifically their criminality and likelihood of being arrested. In addition, this study took on a gendered relationship, examining how gender moderates the associations between attachment and adult crime, and involvement and adult crime. The study took a quantitative approach using Waves 1 and 4 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Findings indicate that a students' attachment to school is negatively associated with the likelihood of being arrested as an adult. In addition, the likelihood of adult criminal behavior is negatively associated with students' school involvement. Lastly, in this study I found that gender acts as a moderating mechanism between attachment and criminality, as well as sports involvement and arrested as an adult. Thus, this research adds to the established field, which has demonstrated how school involvement and attachment improve outcomes in adolescence, by showing that these positive experiences impact downstream outcomes such as criminal behavior in adulthood.
Rights
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/17664
Recommended Citation
O'Neil, Madeline, "Does the School Day Matter? The Association Between Adolescent School Attachment and Involvement and Adult Criminal Behavior" (2016). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 2990.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.2991