Towards A Theory of Why Kids Run Away

Evaluating Strain and Control Mechanisms to Account for First-time Running Behavior Among Males vs. Females

Bibliographic Data

ID2153569
AuthorsCarrie Coward Bucher (Elmhurst University, Elmhurst, IL, United States), Michelle Manasse (Towson University, Towson,MD, United States, corresponding author), Cesar J Rebellon (0000-0001-9990-6010, George Mason University, Fairfax,VA, United States)
Year2023
Volume44
Issue3
Pages475-491
Publication date2023-03-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDeviant Behavior (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0163-9625 • E-ISSN: 1521-0456
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01639625.2022.2057829
OpenAlexW4226125738
LanguageEN
References cited56

Between 5–9% of American adolescents experience 1+ episode of independent homelessness. Although multiple stressors have consistently been shown to precede runaway behavior, sampling homeless populations fails to capture variation between juveniles who run/do not run. This research uses Waves I and II of the Add Health public use data to examine conditions likely to result in a first-time run among males vs. females. Specifically, we argue that strains/negative emotion derived from Agnew’s general strain theory and social controls derived from Hirschi’s social bond theory will act as positive and negative motivations, respectively, to predict first-time runs. We find significant, main effects on running for multiple strain and control measures. However, results of our integrated models suggest that, while composite strain and depression increase the odds of running across gender, composite social control is associated with lower odds of running for females only. This finding underscores prior research suggesting that social bonds may have a stronger protective impact on females considering a first-time run

Control (management · Developmental psychology · Economics · General strain theory · Logistic regression · Odds · Odds ratio · Social control · Social control theory · Sociology · Strain (injury · Stressor · Clinical Psychology · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Demography · Homelessness and Social Issues · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies · Internal Medicine

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