Table Of ContentCONSEQUENCES OF CHILD ABUSE FOR AN EARLY ONSET OF
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY
By
SUMAN KAKAR
A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
1994
UNIVERSITYOFFLORIDAUBRARES
Copyright 1994
by
Suinan Kakar
I dedicate this work to Joe R. Feagin and Hernan Vera,
the true eduators, for whom their students come first
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The closing of this chapter in my life was made possible
by the integrity, courage and selfless dedication of several
individuals.
First, I would like to express myvery special thanks and
appreciation to my supervisors. Dr. HernanVera and Dr. Joe R.
Feagin for their assistance, patience, and dedication that far
exceeded the normal expectations of any supervisor. I owe them
very special gratitude for providingmewiththeir friendship,
constant encouragement, frequent boosters, counseling, and
moral support. I am forever obliged to them for their
tireless efforts to make this research the best possible. I
appreciate their assistance, patience, and dedication more
than they know. I especially thank them for providing me with
the understanding that quality research requires integrity,
patience, and perseverance. Their critical comments,
constructive criticisms of earlier versions of this
dissertation, constant support, and frequent challenges
motivated me toward excellence.
I would like to express my appreciation to Dr. John
Henretta for his patience, assistance, and guidance. His
untiring constructive comments made this research achieve the
excellence and sophistication it has. I also express my
thanks to Drs. Michael Radelet and Richard Renner for their
help, support, and friendship over the past four years. I
wishto acknowledge Dr. Frazier^s and Dr. Bishop's supervision
during the early phase of my graduate career. Dr. Frazier
gave me an enthusiasm for juvenile delinquency and Dr. Bishop
encouraged me to work on this topic.
I express my gratitude to Dr. Felix M. Berardo who
provided me guidance and constructive criticism throughout my
graduate career at the University of Florida.
I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to Dr.
Lionel J. Beaulieu for assistance, guidance, dedication, and
moral support and boost he provided me during my research
assistantship with him.
I am especially grateful to the Department of Four-H and
Other Youth Programs for awarding me a four-year research
assistantshipwithintheirdepartment. Participation intheir
iv
interdisciplinary research effort has been a truly rewarding
experience for me. I owe very special thanks to Drs. Sue
Fisher and Joy Cantrell for their consistent encouragement,
belief, and confidence in my capabilities which worked as
buffers to inspire me and insulate me from the adverse
effects of circumstances.
My very special thanks go to Ms. Margaretha Micha and Dr.
Madelyn M. Lockhart who provided me with support and
encouragement when I needed it most.
My parents, Diwan Chand Kakar and Shanti Devi Kakar,
parents-in-law, PremParkash andSushila Rani Sirpal, brothers
Ashok and Sudershan, sister and brother-in-law Neelam and
Madan Dheer have encouraged me throughout my graduate career.
I appreciate the unique challenges presented by my husband
Rajeshwar Sirpal without which, I perhaps would not have
achieved the excellence I did.
My most special thanks go to my sons, Parikshat and
Sanjeev Sirpal for being sources of endless love, strength,
patience, understanding, and encouragement. I hope they will
be proud and benefit from my accomplishments.
Mymost special thanks go to my dearest friend and sister
whose friendship, patience, and unswerving faith in me
rescued me several times during my career in graduate school.
Without her invaluable friendship, support, and
far-sightedness this research would not have been possible at
all.
I would also like to express my thanks to Ms. Lena
Griffin and International Peace Scholarship sisters for their
moral support and scholarship that made this day possible.
I express my thanks to Mr. Robert Brake, Mr. David West,
and the staff of the Children, Youth, and Families department
of the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services in
Florida, District Three. I am very grateful for their help,
support, time, patience, and understanding.
I am truly grateful to Mr. Andrew Vloedman for his most
sincere, valuable, and selfless friendship, compassion,
sensitivity, support, patience and counsel. Finally, but not
least by any means, I must thank the graduate students of the
Department of Sociology who helped me through trying times. I
V
am also grateful to those faculty members in the Department of
Sociology who helped me understand the greatness of the
academic vocation and the courage and integrity it takes to
live by its principles.
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES xii
ABSTRACT xiii
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1
Plan of Study 7
Purpose and Objectives 7
Significance 8
CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 10
Introduction 10
Child Abuse and Delinquency 12
Clinical Studies 13
OSbusrveeryvatDieosniagln SSttuuddiieess of Abused Children . . 2198
Longitudinal Retrospective Studies 34
Longitudinal Prospective Studies 37
Critique of the Literature 43
Conceptual Framework 46
Social learning theory 50
Social control theory 54
Discussion and Proposed Research 62
CHAPTER 3 DATA AND METHODOLOGY 63
Research Design 63
Data 69
Procedure for the Selection of
the Abused Group 70
HRS Reporting, Investigation,
and Verification Procedures 71
Strengths of the Data 72
Limitations of the Data 75
Potential Problems with Sample 77
Demographic Characteristics 82
vii
Matching Procedure and Selection
of Control Group Subjects 84
Criteria for Inclusion or Exclusion in the
Control Group 86
Operationalization of Major Constructs 91
Dependent Variable 92
Independent Variable 93
Hypotheses 96
Section 1: Hypotheses for
Between Group Analyses 96
Section 2: Hypotheses for
Within Group Analyses 101
Procedures 106
PPrroocceedduurreess ffoorr WBietthwienenGrGoruopupAnAanlaylsyesses .. .. .. 1I0l6l
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS AND RESULTS 115
Section 1 115
Between Group Analysis 115
Section 2 132
Within Group Analysis 132
CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION, SUMMARY, AND CONCLUSIONS . . 154
Discussion of Abuse-control - Comparison
Findings 155
Discussion of Within Group Descriptive
Findings 161
Summary and Conclusions 163
Suggestions for Future Research 165
Policy Implications 168
APPENDIX A LIST OF COUNTIES 172
APPENDIX B LIST OF SERVICES RECEIVED BY
THE CONTROL GROUP CHILDREN 173
APPENDIX C CODE OF DELINQUENCY REFERRALS .... 174
APPENDIX D DEFINITION OF ABUSE 176
APPENDIX E CODE OF INJURIES SUSTAINED
DURING ABUSE 177
REFERENCE LIST 179
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 194
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 Birth Years, Year of Abuse Observed, and
Follow-up Years . . , 78
Table 2 Demographic Characteristics of the Abused
Group 83
Table 3 Delinquency Referral Rate by Birth-Cohort and Date
of Birth 84
Table 4 Services Provided to the Control Group Children -
Frequencies
. . . . ,
Table 5 Comparison of Demographic Characteristics of Abused
Group Population with Abused Group and Control
Group Samples 90
Table 6 Delinquency Referral Rates of Abused and Control
Groups - Percentages . . 116
Table 7a Cross-Classification Table for Abused and Non-
Abused subjects
Table 7b Binomial Test Results for the Comparison of Abused
and Control Groups
Table 8 Comparison of Delinquency Referral Rates Between
Abused and Control Subjects by Gender
Proportions 12o
Table 8a Cross-Classification Table for Abused and Non-
Abused Males . . 120
Table 8b Binomial Test Results for the Comparison of Abused
and Control Males
Table 8c Cross-Classification Table for Abused and Non-
Abused Females
Table 8d Binomial Test Results for the Comparison of Abused
and Control Females . . 122
Table 8e Off-Diagonal Cells From Table 8a and Table 8b for
Fisher's Exact Test 122
ix
Table 9 Comparison of Delinquency Referral Rates Between
Abused and Control Subjects by Race -
Proportions 124
Table 9a Cross-Classification Table for Abused and Non-
Abused Whites 124
Table 9b Binomial Test Results for the Comparison of Abused
and Control Whites 125
Table 9c Cross-Classification Table for Abused and Non-
Abused African-Americans 125
Table 9d Binomial Test Results for the Comparison of Abused
and Control African-Americans 126
Table 9e Off-Diagonal Cells From Table 9a and Table 9b for
Fisher's Exact Test 126
Table 10 Comparison of Delinquency Referral Rates Between
Abused and Control Subjects by Age -
Proportions • • 128
Table 10a Cross-Classification Table for Abused and Non-
Abused Twelve-Year-Olds . . 128
Table 10b Cross-Classification Table for Abused and Non-
Abused Thirteen-Year-Olds . 129
Table 10c Cross-Classification Table for Abused and Non-
Abused Fourteen-Year-Olds . 129
Table lOd Binomial Test Results for the Comparison of Abused
and Control Fourteen-Year-Olds 130
Table lOe Cross-Classification Table for Abused and Non-
Abused Fifteen-Year-Olds 130
Table lOf Binomial Test Results for the Comparison of Abused
and Control Fifteen-Year-Olds 131
Table lOg Off-Diagonal Cells from Table 10a, 10b, 10c, and
lOe for Fisher's Exact Test 131
Table 11 Delinquency Among Victims of Severe Abuse and Mild
Abuse - Percentages 133
Table 12 Delinquency Referral Rate Within Abused Subjects by
Race - Percentages 135
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