This study examined perceived parental neglect and overprotection as c
orrelates of self-reported delinquency in 405 male and 387 female Aust
ralian secondary school students under the age of 18. Consistent with
the research hypotheses, correlations obtained show that perceptions o
f low care and high protection, from either fathers or mothers, were a
ssociated with higher levels of both male and female delinquency. Resu
lts from analyses of variance confirm that adolescents reporting the p
arental style of affectionless control (neglect plus overprotection) w
ere more delinquent than those with optimal parental bonding (care plu
s permission of independence). A regression analysis including various
parental bonding interactions further shows that maternal care was th
e most important predictor of delinquency, that paternal care was anot
her significant correlate, and that an interaction effect of paternal
neglect and overprotection was found among male adolescents.