INTRODUCTION This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of family structure on future delinquency using cognitive insensitivity and cognitive impulsivity as mediators. METHODS Employing a sample of 845 middle school students (406 boys, 439 girls), this study examined the effects of family structure on future delinquency and antisocial cognition as students progressed through the middle school years-that is, sixth through eighth grade. RESULTS Family structure, assessed as a three-level variable (two-parent home vs. stepparent/grandparent home vs. single-parent home) or as a two-level variable (two-parent/stepparent home vs. other), predicted delinquency 2 years later. Adding antisocial cognition-cognitive insensitivity and cognitive impulsivity-to the model produced significant indirect effects in which both cognitive insensitivity and cognitive impulsivity mediated the family structure-delinquency relationship. CONCLUSIONS Based on these results, it would appear that antisocial cognition plays a salient role in the association known to exist between family structure and later delinquency. The research and practical implications of these results include a call for greater use of a mediation methodology when studying the family structure-delinquency relationship and finding ways to assist families in creating control and moral values in their children.

中文翻译：

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家庭结构与犯罪：作为中介机制的反社会认知。

引言 本研究使用认知不敏感和认知冲动作为中介，调查家庭结构对未来犯罪的直接和间接影响。方法 本研究以 845 名中学生（406 名男生，439 名女生）为样本，考察了家庭结构对学生在中学阶段（即六年级至八年级）未来犯罪和反社会认知的影响。结果 家庭结构，评估为三级变量（双亲家庭与继父母/祖父母家庭与单亲家庭）或两级变量（双亲/继父母家庭与其他），预测犯罪2年后。在模型中加入反社会认知——认知不敏感和认知冲动——产生了显着的间接效应，其中认知不敏感和认知冲动都介导了家庭结构-犯罪关系。结论 基于这些结果，反社会认知似乎在已知的家庭结构与后来的犯罪之间存在的关联中起着重要作用。这些结果的研究和实际意义包括呼吁在研究家庭结构-犯罪关系时更多地使用调解方法，并寻找帮助家庭为孩子创造控制和道德价值观的方法。反社会认知似乎在已知的家庭结构与后来的犯罪之间存在关联中发挥着重要作用。这些结果的研究和实际意义包括呼吁在研究家庭结构-犯罪关系时更多地使用调解方法，并寻找帮助家庭为孩子创造控制和道德价值观的方法。反社会认知似乎在已知的家庭结构与后来的犯罪之间存在关联中发挥着重要作用。这些结果的研究和实际意义包括呼吁在研究家庭结构-犯罪关系时更多地使用调解方法，并寻找帮助家庭为孩子创造控制和道德价值观的方法。