The relationship between externalizing behavior and school and familial attachments among girls from diverse backgrounds

Externalizing behavior is a high-risk factor for future justice involvement, and a strong predictor of recidivism among juvenile justice involved youth. Travis Hirschi's social bonding theory suggests that adolescents who are strongly bonded to socialization agents are less likely to engage in delinquent behaviors. Bonding is particularly important among girls given the high importance of bonding to their positive development. Guided by the premise of the social bonding theory, this study used secondary data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to assess the relationship between parental and school bonding, and externalizing behavior among girls. This study also assessed the differences among girls regarding race, given the racial disparities in juvenile justice involvement among girls. The results from the hierarchical multiple regression analysis (n = 1678) displayed the significance of suspension/expulsion, parental attachment, and school belongingness in predicting externalizing behavior. Further exploration will offer social workers, educators, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders information to guide their prevention and intervention efforts with girls who display externalizing behavior, but also a better understanding of the factors that can help prevent juvenile justice involvement among girls.