De Beleving van Ouders over de Delinquentie van hun Kind

Abstract

Background Not a lot of research concerning youth delinquency examines the role and experience of the parents Aim This research explores the parental perception of the delinquent behavior of their child between the ages 14 and 23. Firstly, parents’ perceptions concerning the responsibility for the delinquent behavior were investigated. Secondly, parents’ perceptions concerning the legal procedures that parents and the child are confronted with, were examined. Method Parental perception of the delinquent behavior of their child has been tested through qualitative research method. Five Dutch mothers of children with delinquent behavior were interviewed. Results All respondents felt in some way responsible for the delinquent behaviour of their children. The respondents also pointed psychological, biological, and environmental factors out as causes for the delinquent behaviour. Parents differed in the way they experienced the legal procedures. Parental involvement appears to be dependent from feelings of exclusion, information provision, involvement in decisionmaking. Furthermore, the justice system is considered to be partially legitimate. Conclusion In conclusion, parents perceived the delinquency as a difficult time. The delinquency of their children lasted several years and has had an effect on the lives of the parents. At the end of the paper, implications and suggestions for future research are made.