Like father, like son: Toward a developmental model for the transmission of male deviance across generations

Abstract

This study examined two competing developmental models for social mechanisms linking father – son deviance in two-parent families. Assessment of family management, father antisocial behaviour, and sons' antisocial behaviour at age nine used multiple measurement methods. At age 13 – 14, boys were observed interacting with friends on videotape; at age 23 – 24, they were followed and assessed, looking at arrest records, self-reported delinquency, and substance use. SEM was used to test competing models of the influence of fathers on sons' antisocial behaviour in young adulthood. Analyses supported a model linking fathers' childhood antisocial behaviour directly to sons' observed early adolescent deviant friendship interactions, and indirectly to young-adult problem behaviour. Although early parenting practices correlated with fathers' antisocial behaviour and boys' antisocial behaviour in childhood, they were not predictive of late association with deviant peers, once controlling for fathers' antisocial behaviour. Findings are discussed relative to possible biological and social mechanisms of cross-generation transmission of antisocial behaviour, as well as to prevention theory.

Acknowledgments

This study is based on the high-quality data provided by the staff of the Oregon Youth Study (OYS), funded by Grant No. MH 37940 (Center for Studies of Antisocial and Violent Behavior, NIMH, US PHS) to Gerald Patterson and Deborah Capaldi and by Grant No. DA 05304 (National Institute on Drug Abuse, US PHS) to the senior author. The third author was supported by National Institute of Mental Health, Development and Psychopathology Research Training Grant (5-T32-MH20012).

Thanks to Ann Simas for editing and graphics preparation on this manuscript.