Relationship between Perceptions of Parental Punitive Discipline and Involvement in Delinquent Behaviours among Selected Kenyan Secondary School Students

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between perceptions of parental punitive discipline and involvement in non-illegal and minor-illegal delinquent behaviours among selected secondary school students in Nairobi County, Kenya. A correlational survey design was employed and the participants comprised 219 females and 191 male students selected by use of stratified and simple random sampling methods. Data was collected using a questionnaire. The study reported that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between parental corporal punishment and adolescents’ non-illegal delinquent behaviours. However, parental corporal punishment did not significantly relate to adolescents’ involvement in minor- illegal delinquent behaviours. The study recommended that parents should avoid use of punitive disciplining strategies which influenced adolescents’ non-illegal delinquent behaviours.