Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
This thesis provides a comprehensive review of the evolution of Robert Agnew’s
General Strain Theory of Delinquency, and tests his 2002 extension using two
subsamples from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Juveniles between
12 and 17, and “emerging” adults that are 18 years old. Including an “emerging” adult
subsample makes this analysis one of the first full tests of adults. Additionally, this
analysis is the first partial test of Agnew’s 2013 extension of General Strain Theory.
Overall, the results of the analysis lend support to Agnew’s 2002 extension. Measures of
strain are revealed to significantly effect measures of negative emotionality and low selfconstraint,
and measures of negative emotionality and low self-constraint significantly
affect delinquency/deviance and illicit substance use. A major limitation to the thesis is
that there is no negative emotionality measure of anger, which is Agnew’s (1985; 1992)
key measures of negative emotionality.
General Strain Theory of Delinquency, and tests his 2002 extension using two
subsamples from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Juveniles between
12 and 17, and “emerging” adults that are 18 years old. Including an “emerging” adult
subsample makes this analysis one of the first full tests of adults. Additionally, this
analysis is the first partial test of Agnew’s 2013 extension of General Strain Theory.
Overall, the results of the analysis lend support to Agnew’s 2002 extension. Measures of
strain are revealed to significantly effect measures of negative emotionality and low selfconstraint,
and measures of negative emotionality and low self-constraint significantly
affect delinquency/deviance and illicit substance use. A major limitation to the thesis is
that there is no negative emotionality measure of anger, which is Agnew’s (1985; 1992)
key measures of negative emotionality.
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