Reconsidering the Effect of Informal Labeling on Adolescent Delinquency: Within-Individual Analyses with Mediating and Moderating Processes

• Other Authors: Kim, Joonggon (author)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Criminology
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/2018_Su_Kim_fsu_0071E_14748

Despite recent development in labeling theory, some voids in research still exist. First, labeling theory has overly emphasized formal labeling and relatively neglected the importance of informal labeling. Second, most research has centered on examining between-individual effects of labeling rather than within-individual effects from time to time in spite of a developmental nature of the theory. Third, prior research on informal labeling has not paid enough attention to a variety of mediating and moderating processes involved in the relationship between informal labeling and delinquency. This study addressed these voids by examining the within-individual effect of perceived informal labeling on adolescent delinquency with mediating and moderating processes involved in this effect. As mediating and moderating variables, deviant self-concept, attachment to parents, attachment to teachers, attachment to very close friends, and delinquent peer association were tested. Also, sex and prior delinquency were tested as moderating variables. The data came from Korea Youth Panel Study (KYPS), which consisted of 6 waves of panel data collected from 2003 to 2008. For the analysis, three-level random effect negative binomial models were estimated. The final sample size was 14,491 observations on 2,646 respondents in 100 cities. The result showed that perceived informal labeling had a significant and positive within-individual effect on later delinquency. When it comes to the mediating processes, deviant self-concept did not significantly explain the within-individual effect of perceived informal labeling on delinquency, while between-individual effect of deviant self-concept on delinquency was significantly reduced when deviant self-concept was included in the model. Rather, perceived informal labeling significantly reduced deviant self-concept after one year. This result implies that adolescents may deny or reject the labeling imposed by others. Also, attachment to others did not significantly account for the within-individual effect of perceived informal labeling on delinquency. This shows that attachment to others is not a consequential factor that explains the effect of labeling on delinquency. Meanwhile, delinquent peer association significantly accounted for the within-individual- and the between-individual effect of perceived informal labeling on delinquency as expected. In terms of the moderation analysis, the within-individual effect of perceived informal labeling on delinquency was more consequential for females than males, but prior delinquency did not significantly moderate the within-individual effect of perceived informal labeling on delinquency. Attachment to teachers reduced the positive within-individual effect of perceived informal labeling on delinquency as expected. Also, attachment to very close friends and delinquent peer association amplified the within-individual effect of perceived informal labeling on delinquency as expected. Unexpectedly, attachment to parents also turned out to increase the positive within-individual effect of perceived informal labeling on delinquency. This result shows that parental attachment itself may not be a protective factor that reduces the harmful effect of informal labeling if the parental attachment does not involve any proper control over the adolescents. In sum, although this study showed a significant effect of perceived informal labeling on delinquency at the within-individual level, mediating and moderating processes involved in this association were somewhat different from prior studies that were based on the effect of formal labeling or between-individual dynamics. More research is needed with a variety of mediating processes, time spans, and samples to fully understand the within-individual dynamics involved in the association between main constructs of labeling theory given that the original theoretical framework of labeling theory proposes within-individual changes of individual behaviors over time. === A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Summer Semester 2018. === July 3, 2018. === delinquency, HLM, informal labeling, KYPS, self-concept === Includes bibliographical references. === Carter Hay, Professor Directing Dissertation; Ming Cui, University Representative; Sonja E. Siennick, Committee Member; William D. Bales, Committee Member.