The Effects of Parental School Exclusion on Offspring Drug Use: An Intergenerational Path Analysis

• NCJ Number: 255836
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 69 Dated: 2020
• Author(s): Beidi. D. Dong; Marvin D. Krohn
• Date Published: 2020
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): 86-JN-CX-0007, 96-MU-FX-0014, 2004-MU-FX-0062
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined whether and how exclusionary school punishment experienced by a sample of parents affected the drug use of their children.

Abstract

The study used panel data for 360 parent-child dyads from the Rochester Youth Developmental Study and its intergenerational component, the Rochester Intergenerational Study. Path analysis was conducted to determine the adequacy of a theoretical model that explains the intergenerational pathways from parental school exclusion to their children’s drug use. The data analysis found that parents who had been suspended or expelled from school during their adolescence were more likely to drop out of school, which, in turn, led to parental adult drug use, economic hardship, and ineffective parenting of their children. As a result, their children were likely to hold attitudes/beliefs that favored drug use and have reduced bonding to school. This ultimately contributed to the children’s drug use. Based on these findings, the study concluded that exclusionary school punishment should only be used as a last resort. Whenever possible, school disciplinary practices should involve inclusionary efforts to re-integrate students into the larger school community. 2 figures and 94 references (publisher abstract modified)