Testing the General Strain Theory of Adolescent Delinquency using Meta-Analytic Path Anal

Abstract

This research attempted to make an integrated and scientific testing of general strain theory regarding adolescents delinquency in Korea, using meta-analytic path analysis. The test was conducted in the following three stages. First, data on socioeconomic status, victimization of school violence, parental abuse, level of stress, depression, and delinquency as major factors in the general strain theory were extracted, and then a theoretical research framework was established based on the relationship among those factors. Second, data regarding correlation values of factors of the research model were collected from various master’s and doctoral theses and academic journals. And based on the correlation coefficients of the variables included in the research model, a meta-analysis was conducted. Our analysis covered 216 data sources and a total of 584 correlation coefficients. Third, based on the average correlation coefficients among factors calculated by meta-analysis, path analysis was conducted on the research model. The results of the test showed that higher socioeconomic status led to lower level of stress, depression and delinquency; higher victimization of school violence lead to depression and delinquency; higher parental abuse resulted in an increased level of depression, aggressiveness and delinquency; and higher depression and level of stress brought higher delinquency. The mediating effect of level of stress and depression was shown to be statistically significant. Lastly, implications and suggestions of this research were discussed based on the research findings.