Dirk Baier

Is parenting style a predictor of suicide attempts in a representative sample of adolescents

BackgroundSuicidal ideation and suicide attempts are serious but not rare conditions in adolescents. However, there are several research and practical suicide-prevention initiatives that discuss the possibility of preventing serious self-harm. Profound knowledge about risk and protective factors is therefore necessary. The aim of this study is a) to clarify the role of parenting behavior and parenting styles in adolescents’ suicide attempts and b) to identify other statistically significant and clinically relevant risk and protective factors for suicide attempts in a representative sample of German adolescents.MethodsIn the years 2007/2008, a representative written survey of N = 44,610 students in the 9th grade of different school types in Germany was conducted. In this survey, the lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts was investigated as well as potential predictors including parenting behavior. A three-step statistical analysis was carried out: I) As basic model, the association between parenting and suicide attempts was explored via binary logistic regression controlled for age and sex. II) The predictive values of 13 additional potential risk/protective factors were analyzed with single binary logistic regression analyses for each predictor alone. Non-significant predictors were excluded in Step III. III) In a multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, all significant predictor variables from Step II and the parenting styles were included after testing for multicollinearity.ResultsThree parental variables showed a relevant association with suicide attempts in adolescents – (all protective): mother’s warmth and father’s warmth in childhood and mother’s control in adolescence (Step I). In the full model (Step III), Authoritative parenting (protective: OR: .79) and Rejecting-Neglecting parenting (risk: OR: 1.63) were identified as significant predictors (p < .001) for suicidal attempts. Seven further variables were interpreted to be statistically significant and clinically relevant: ADHD, female sex, smoking, Binge Drinking, absenteeism/truancy, migration background, and parental separation events.ConclusionsParenting style does matter. While children of Authoritative parents profit, children of Rejecting-Neglecting parents are put at risk – as we were able to show for suicide attempts in adolescence. Some of the identified risk factors contribute new knowledge and potential areas of intervention for special groups such as migrants or children diagnosed with ADHD.

The Influence of Religiosity on Violent Behavior of Adolescents: A Comparison of Christian and Muslim Religiosity

Different criminological theories assume that religiosity protects against violent behavior. Up to now, this assumption is tested empirically almost exclusively for the Christian religiosity. The study presented here questions whether such a relationship between religiosity and violent behavior could be found for Muslims, likewise. Using a German-wide representative school survey of 16,545 male students in the ninth grade, who belong either to a Christian or an Islamic denomination, it can be revealed that only for Christians a higher religiosity correlates with a lower rate of violent behavior. This influence of Christian religiosity can be explained by mainly control theory variables. For Muslims, there is no significant correlation between religiosity and violent behavior in a bivariate analysis. A multivariate analysis, however, reveals a suppression effect: Controlling for alcohol consumption, Muslim religiosity increases violent behavior. In addition, high religious Muslims agree more often to norms of masculinity and consume more often media violence, which are risk factors of violent behavior. Accordingly, it can be concluded that religiosity is not a violence-protecting factor in general; instead, a more differentiated view for separate religious groups is necessary.

Why Are Some Ethnic Groups More Violent Than Others? The Role of Friendship Network’s Ethnic Composition

Ethnic differences in violent behavior can be found in official crime statistics, as well as in surveys on juvenile delinquency. To explain these differences, research mainly focuses on factors like parental violence, violence legitimizing norms of masculinity, or socio-economic status. Little research has examined the role of friendship network’s ethnic composition on ethnic differences in violent behavior, although different sociological and criminological theories suggest that the composition of friendship networks can play an important role for attitudes and behavior of its members. Using data of a survey conducted in 2006 among all ninth-grade pupils in Hanover (Germany), we investigated the influence of friendship network’s ethnic composition on violent behavior in general, and on ethnic differences in violent behavior in particular. Due to the specific sampling procedure, it was also possible to look for neighborhood effects both on (ethnic differences in) juvenile delinquency and friendship network composition. Findings indicate that there are significant differences in the network composition across the ethnic groups. After controlling for these network characteristics, ethnic differences in violent behavior disappeared. Furthermore, the results show that the friendship network’s ethnic composition also depends on community characteristics.

Disintegration and violence among migrants in Germany: Turkish and Russian youths versus German youths

Turkish and Russian immigrants are the two largest groups of immigrants in Germany, but there are some important differences regarding their legal status. Although most of the Turkish adolescents were born in Germany, few of them have German citizenship. In contrast, most of the Russian youths were born outside Germany, but they mostly possess German nationality because of their status as ethnic Germans. Despite these differences, both groups show a high level of violent behavior. This article investigates the causes for the different levels of violent behavior among juvenile Russian and Turkish immigrants in comparison to German youths. On the basis of a large-scale school survey with 14,301 respondents, the authors examine the causes for their high level of violent behavior compared to German adolescents. The theoretical basis is a combination of disintegration and socialization theory, as well as additional factors that are discussed as causes of violence in several theoretical approaches.In the empirical part of the article, the authors provide a systematic description of sources and levels of disintegration among the three youth groups. The empirical findings demonstrate that juvenile migrants are more disintegrated in several respects and that the higher level of disintegration explains some of the differences in violent behavior. But specific cultural orientations are also important in this context.

Peers und delinquentes Verhalten

Laut Polizeilicher Kriminalstatistik wurden im Jahr 2007 drei Viertel aller Straftaten (78,0%) in Deutschland, in denen ein Tatverdachtiger ermittelt werden konnte, von einem alleinhandelnden Tater ausgefuhrt (Bundeskriminalamt 2008, 125). Damit wird der kleinere Teil aller kriminellen Taten von Gruppen bestehend aus mindestens zwei Tatern verubt. Zu beachten ist allerdings, dass der Anteil an Gruppentatern betrachtlich mit der Deliktsart variiert: Bei der Gewaltkriminalitat betragt er 54,4%, bei Diebstahl unter erschwerenden Umstanden 59,9%.

Mediennutzung als Ursache der schlechteren Schulleistungen von Jungen

An der Diagnose scheint kein Zweifel mehr zu bestehen: Madchen erzielen, in Deutschland wie in anderen Landern, mittlerweile bessere Schulleistungen und legen haufiger hoherrangige Schulabschlusse ab als Jungen. Quenzel und Hurrelmann (2010) belegen dies eindrucksvoll fur drei Bereiche: Erstens betrug der Anteil der Jungen, die die Schule ohne Hauptschulabschluss verlassen, im Jahr 2006 9,7 Prozent, der Anteil der Madchen hingegen nur 5,9 Prozent (Fachhochschul-/Hochschulreife: 22,9 zu 30,5 Prozent). Zweitens erreichen Madchen in Kompetenztests mit der Ausnahme der mathematischen Kompetenz deutlich bessere Werte als Jungen. Drittens nimmt die Anzahl weiblicher Studierender an Universitaten kontinuierlich zu. In Numerus-Clausus-Fachern wie der Psychologie oder der Medizin wird die Mehrheit der Studierenden bereits von Frauen gestellt.

It Is Not About the Influence Religiosity Ought to Have, But the Influence It Does Have A Response

In my response to the article “Both Islam and Christianity Invite to Tolerance” I adress the different criticisms that are raised by the authors. Some of the criticisms can be agreed with, while others can be refuted. In general I do not share the author’s perspective that every religion promotes peaceful coexistence. Instead claiming theoretically that religiosity has such an effect, the relationship between religiosity and violence should be analyzed empirically.

Sozialräumlicher Kontext und Jugenddelinquenz. Zum Einfluss von Stadtteileigenschaften auf gewalttätiges Verhalten von Jugendlichen am Beispiel Hannovers

Die Frage nach dem Einfluss der Wohnumgebung auf delinquentes Verhalten hat in den vergangenen zwei Jahrzehnten sowohl in der Offentlichkeit als auch in der Wissenschaft zunehmend an Aufmerksamkeit gewonnen.

Erhöhte Gewaltbereitschaft bei nichtdeutschen Jugendlichen — Ursachen und Präventionsvorschläge

Zahlreiche empirische Untersuchungen an Jugendlichen in Deutschland belegen, dass nichtdeutsche Jugendliche insbesondere sudeuropaischer Herkunft verstarkt zu Gewaltverhalten neigen. Hierfur wird sowohl deren soziale Benachteiligung als auch das Aufrechterhalten gewaltaffiner Werthaltungen verantwortlich gemacht. Anhand einer deutschlandweiten Schulerbefragung unter 14.301 Jugendlichen geht dieser Beitrag erstens der Frage nach, welche Faktoren die erhohte Gewaltbereitschaft im Vergleich zu deutschen Jugendlichen tatsachlich erklaren konnen, wobei eine Vielzahl an Indikatoren aus den Bereichen Familie, Personlichkeit, soziales Umfeld und Medien berucksichtigt wird. Zumindest fur funf der sechs untersuchten Gruppen nichtdeutscher Befragter konnen der haufigere Besuch niedriger Schulformen, die haufigere Konfrontation mit innerfamiliarer Gewalt und die starkere Zustimmung zu Mannlichkeitsnormen als zentrale Ursachen der erhohten Gewaltbereitschaft identifiziert werden. Die Verbesserung der Bildungsmoglichkeiten, das Eindammen von Gewalt in der Erziehung sowie das Zuruckdrangen uberkommener Mannlichkeitsvorstellungen erscheinen daher als ein effektiver Weg der Pravention von Gewalt, die von nichtdeutschen Jugendlichen ausgeht. Auf Basis dieser Befunde werden deshalb zweitens einige Vorschlage unterbreitet, welche konkreten Praventionsmasnahmen ergriffen werden konnen, um diese Ziele zu erreichen.

Zensur versus Forschungsfreiheit

ZusammenfassungDer Schutz der Privatheit bezieht sich in Europa auch auf das Recht auf physische und psychische Integrität (physical and moral integrity), auf die körperliche und mentale Unversehrtheit jeder Person. Es wird ergänzt um das Recht auf Selbstbestimmung über den eigenen Körper (vgl. Art. 8 EMRK). Anlässlich der vielen Missbrauchsopfer in kirchlichen und anderen Anstalten ist es daher geradezu geboten, solche Vorkommnisse wissenschaftlich zu untersuchen, um Abhilfe zu schaffen. Eine unabhängige Erforschung ist aber nur dann garantiert, wenn die Forschungsziele nicht weisungsgebunden oder unter anderen sachfremden Gesichtspunkten vorgegeben werden. Der Privatheitsschutz in seiner Ausprägung als Schutz personenbezogener Daten ist in den entsprechenden Forschungsbereichen zu beachten. Das Schutzniveau dieser Daten hängt von den konkreten Verarbeitungsregelungen und -bedingungen in einer Forschungseinrichtung ab. Diese Fragen sollen anhand des Konflikts zwischen dem Kriminologischen Forschungsinstitut Niedersachsen (KFN) und der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz erörtert werden.