Maternal attachment, self-control, and offending among college students

Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime is offered as an explanation for delinquent and criminal behavior across all demographics. It focuses on early childhood socialization and its role in nurturing self-control. This study examines the general theory of crime cross-culturally while accounting for maternal attachment. For that purpose, a self-report survey was administered to a sample of 454 Hispanic and White college students enrolled at 1 of 2 universities. The effect of maternal attachment during high school and self-control on analogous behavior and crime during college was examined. Attachment and self-control related to analogous behaviors and crime. Self-control, however, was not able to entirely mediate the effects of attachment on analogous behaviors or crime.