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Juvenile delinquency is not confined to adolescence but can potentially extend into adult criminal behavior, underscoring the critical importance of research into its causes. This study focuses on two theories that have been predominantly employed in empirical research to explain juvenile delinquency in South Korea: Social Bond Theory and Self-Control Theory. Data for this study were derived from the 5th wave of the Korea Youth Panel Survey(KYPS). Of the initial 2,844 participants, 396 were excluded due to non-responses to the nine items related to juvenile delinquency, resulting in a final sample of 2,448 participants for analysis. The regression analysis examining the relationship between parental attachment and juvenile delinquency revealed that parental attachment exerts a significantly negative impact on juvenile delinquency. Specifically, higher levels of attachment to parents were associated with lower levels of juvenile delinquency. This finding corroborates the hypothesis that diminished attachment is a contributory factor to delinquent behavior. Moreover, a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to assess whether self-control significantly moderates the relationship between parental attachment and juvenile delinquency. The results confirmed that self-control has a significant moderating effect in this context. Based on these findings, the study proposes practical measures and acknowledges limitations aimed at reducing juvenile delinquency by strengthening parental attachment and improving self-control.
Oh et al. (Sun,) studied this question.