Examining the Mediating Role of Parenting Styles and Personality Types between Psychological Well-Being and Delinquency among Juvenile Delinquents and Runaway Adolescents

Abstract

Literature suggest parents as determinants of children’s future life style. They are responsible to establish the moral values and certain behavioral attributes in their children (Chaffin et al., 2004). Many psychosocial issues arise throughout adolescence since it is a time of profound personal change. The present study aims to examine the role of parenting styles and personality types as mediators between the relationship of psychological well-being and delinquency among juvenile delinquents and runaway adolescents. Through corelational survey research design, 200 juvenile delinquents and runaway adolescents were approached from Lahore (N=69), Rawalpindi (N=76), Multan (N=30), and Gujranwala (N=25). Urdu-translated versions of the Parental Authority Questionnaire (developed by Buri, 1991; translated by Akhtar, 2012), Psychological Wellbeing Scale (developed by Ryff, 1989; translated by Aslam&Kausar, 2010), Big Five Inventory (developed by John et al., 1991; translated by Yousaf et al., 2014), and the indigenously developed Self-Reported Delinquency Scale (Naqvi & Kamal, 2008) were used for data collection. Analysis was performed through the Hayes process macro to check the mediating effect of parenting styles and personality types in the relationship between psychological well-being and delinquency. Results revealed permissive parenting style and authoritative parenting style as partial mediators. Moreover, among personality types, agreeableness and neuroticism evolved as partial mediators between psychological well-being and juvenile delinquency. Thus the study recommends proper counseling sessions for parents and juveniles to understand the root cause of delinquency and its counter measures.