A mother’s role in child morality development: Effect of explaining the wrongfulness of antisocial behavior on future adult offending

Abstract

Morality, as discussed by mothers with their adolescent children, was tested as a disincentive for future adult crime via its effect on the antisocial thought processes of cognitive insensitivity (CINS) and cognitive impulsivity (CIMP). In this study, the ability of CINS and CIMP to mediate the effect of a mother’s discussions of ethics with her child on future adult offending was assessed in a group of 3,958 adolescents (1,785 males, 2,173 females) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). A path analysis was performed, controlling for maternal warmth, encouragement of independence, communication, and knowledge, as well as peer delinquency. Consistent with predictions, the results showed that CINS, but not CIMP, negatively mediated the mother ethical discussions–participant offending relationship. These results highlight the salience of inductive parenting in the form of mother-child discussions on ethics and the wrongfulness of antisocial behavior in preventing future adult offending by inhibiting CINS in late adolescence.

Keywords:

• Adult offending
• cognitive insensitivity
• conscience
• ethical instruction
• inductive parenting

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Glenn D. Walters

Glenn D. Walters, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Kutztown University where he teaches classes in corrections, criminology, and research methods. His principal research interests include offender management, mediation analysis, and the connection between bullying and delinquency.