The characteristics of authoritative parenting, including high parental nurturance and appropriate control, are protective against adolescents’ delinquency. However, the mediating psychological mechanisms are not well understood. This three-wave longitudinal study with 704 adolescents (52% males; 76% African American) investigated empathy at age 13 as a mediator of the prospective association between authoritative parenting (child’s disclosure and parental nurturance) at age 11 with delinquency at age 18. The results of a structural equation model revealed a significant indirect effect of authoritative parenting on delinquency through empathy. Authoritative parenting at age 11 predicted increased empathy at age 13, which then predicted decreased delinquency at age 18. These findings suggest that authoritative parenting reduces adolescents’ delinquency by promoting empathy.

权威教养的特点，包括父母的高度教养和适当的控制，对青少年犯罪具有保护作用。然而，中介心理机制尚不清楚。这项针对 704 名青少年（52% 男性；76% 非洲裔美国人）的三波纵向研究调查了 13 岁时的同理心，作为 11 岁时权威育儿（孩子的披露和父母养育）与 18 岁犯罪之间的前瞻性关联的中介。结构方程模型的结果揭示了权威养育通过移情对犯罪行为有显着的间接影响。11 岁时的权威育儿预测 13 岁时同理心会增加，然后预测 18 岁时犯罪率会降低。