The Influence of School Engagement on Counts of Delinquent Behaviors among Maltreated Youths

Abstract

This article describes a study that investigated whether child welfare–involved youths’ school engagement affected delinquency after controlling for peer deviance, caregiver closeness, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study used data from 461 11- to 17-year-olds who had substantiated child maltreatment investigations and participated in Wave 1 of the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II). Because there were low rates of delinquency among NSCAW II participants, a negative binomial regression was conducted. The study found that school engagement had a significant effect even after controlling for peer deviance, caregiver closeness, and ADHD. Results also showed that peer deviance increased the count of delinquent acts, whereas caregiver closeness protected against deviance. This study demonstrates the role schools play as a prosocial influence among maltreated youths. Results from this study illuminate key targets for prevention and intervention strategies.