Perceived Parental Behaviour of Juvenile Delinquent Boys in Prison

In order to investigate associations between parenting and delinquent behaviour in an Ethiopian context, we studied both a target group of adolescent boys (aged 13–19 years) in prison (n = 86) and a control group (n = 93). The boys completed questionnaires on perceived parenting practices and their own prosocial and problem behaviours. The results showed that boys in the prison group reported significantly less positive parenting, monitoring, rules, material rewarding and autonomy than the boys in the control group, but more harsh punishment, ignoring of unwanted behaviour and psychological control. Boys in prison also reported significantly more emotional and conduct problems. Further, results indicated that parenting dimensions (less support and more negative control) increased the odds of being in prison above family characteristics (lower educational status of the adolescent and mother, living in a family with divorced parents or in a single parent family).