A Study of the parent-Child Relations of Delinquents in Taiwan

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences between delinquents and non-delinquents in terms of perceived parent-child interpersonal relationship, and to find out the characteristics of delinquents.

The subjects of this study were chosen from the Reform School for Juveniles in Taiwan, Jen-Ai Junior High School, and Chen-Kong Senior High School in Taiwan. They consisted of 313 in delinquent group, and 511 in non-delinquent group. Data were collected by means of questionnaire. The major results were as follows:

1. It was found that delinquents had less opportunity to talk with their parents every day, specially on weekend and holidays than ordinary juveniles do.

2. As for the state of mutual understanding, delinquents seemed to be lacking in parental understanding more often than non-delinquents.

3. Speaking of the parents’ feeling to juveniles, delinquents were less concern by their parents than ordinary juveniles. As a result, delinquents had a feeling of indifference or even hostile to their parents.

4. It was found that delinquents didn’t talk about their daily affairs with their parents than non-delinquents do, but about their future problem there was no difference between delinquents and non-delinquents.

5. For delinquents there seemed to be a tendency that they had worse relationships with parents than non-delinquents do.

6. As far as parents’ love is concerned, delinquents didn’t get normal love from their parents—to de liked or disliked more than other children in the family, but non-delinquents were treated as the same with other children by their parents.

7. It was found that the evaluation of parents by juveniles delinquents was worse. But there were no difference between the identification of the father by both delinquents and non-delinquents.