Abstract

The influence of parent-child relationship on juvenile delinquency and the mediational effects of emotional and behavioral autonomy on parent-child relationship were examined with adolescents ages 13 to 15. Emotional Autonomy Scale, Behavioral Autonomy Scale, Maternal Representation Questionnaire, Paternal Representation Questionnaire, and Adolescent Delinquency Scale were administered to 331 boys and 313 girls in the 7th, 8th, 9th grade. The results of the study showed that paternal representation significantly predicted delinquent behaviors in boys whereas in girls both paternal and maternal representation were significant in predicting delinquent behaviors. The emotional autonomy mediated the influence of paternal representation on delinquent behaviors in boys, and the influence of both paternal and maternal representation was significantly mediated by emotional autonomy in girls. The mediational effect of behavioral autonomy the mediational effects was not supported by data from boys and girls. The implications and limitations of the results, as well as issues for future research, were discussed.