Parental discipline and legal socialization in Brazil: a longitudinal analysis of adolescent rule violating behavior

This study examines the relationship between parental discipline and rule violating behavior through the lens of legal socialization theory, focusing on the mediating role of perceived legitimacy in authority. It is expected that harsher parental rules and discipline are associated with a later increase in rule violating behavior, as well as a decrease in adolescents’ perception of authority legitimacy. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that the relationship between parental discipline and subsequent deviant behavior is mediated by perceived legitimacy in authority. The research draws on data from the São Paulo Legal Socialization Study (SPLSS), a longitudinal study initially involving 800 Brazilian adolescents aged 11–14. Using structural equation modeling, the study analyzes time-ordered data to assess whether legitimacy mediates the impact of parental discipline on rule violating behavior. The findings provide qualified support for the hypotheses. Specifically, perceived legitimacy fully mediates the relationship between parental discipline and subsequent rule violation behavior. The results refine theoretical understandings of legal socialization and highlight the role of parental discipline in fostering the legitimacy of authority, which in turn reduces deviant behavior. This research extends the generalizability of legal socialization theory to Global South contexts and emphasizes the importance of investing in resources that promote legitimacy while accounting for cultural and structural variations.