The aim of the current study is to provide an empirical test of containment theory of Walter Reckless (1899–1988). The theory proposes that outer and inner containment hold adolescents back from delinquency even when external factors pull and push them toward it. This early control theory was ahead of its time, but never received the empirical attention it deserves. This article outlines the core theoretical concepts and the basic propositions in order to empirically examine their validity. We employed hybrid linear regression analysis using longitudinal survey data of 612 adolescents (12–18 years old) in the city of The Hague, the Netherlands. The results indicate that outer and inner containment can be meaningfully distinguished, and that several but not all propositions of the theory are supported. Inner and outer containment function as a buffer against external pulls and are able to counteract the effect of increases in environmental pulls during adolescence. We conclude that containment theory is still a promising interaction theory that can help us understand why adolescents who experience external pulls toward delinquency are able to resist these influences.

本研究的目的是为沃尔特·鲁克鲁斯（Walter Reckless，1899–1988）的遏制理论提供经验检验。该理论提出，即使外部因素将青少年推向青少年，外部和内部的遏制也会阻止青少年犯罪。这种早期控制理论是超前的，但从未得到应有的经验关注。本文概述了核心理论概念和基本命题，以便从经验上检验它们的有效性。我们使用了荷兰海牙市612名青少年（12至18岁）的纵向调查数据进行的混合线性回归分析。结果表明，可以很好地区分外部和内部包容，并且支持该理论的几个但不是全部命题。内在和外在的遏制功能可以抵御外来的拉动，并能够抵消青春期环境中拉动的影响。我们得出的结论是，遏制理论仍然是一种很有前途的相互作用理论，可以帮助我们理解为什么遭受外部拖延的青少年为什么能够抵御这些影响。