A behavioral genetic analysis of the relationship between the socialization scale and self-reported delinquency

This investigation examined the genetic (A), and shared (C) and nonshared ( E) environmental variance contributions to the relationship of self-reporte d delinquency (as measured by the "Delinquent Behavior Inventory" [DBI; Gib son, 1967]) to the Socialization (So) scale of the California Psychological Inventory using univariate and bivariate structural equation models. The s cales were administered to 222 male (145 monozygotic; 77 dizygotic) and 159 female (107 monozygotic; 52 dizygotic) 16- to 18-year-old same-sex twin pa irs. Principal components analysis with varimax rotation revealed three int erpretable So factors representing family/home environment, self-concept, a nd behavioral control. Univariate modeling suggested sex differences in eti ological influences associated with individual differences in most scales. The bivariate ACE model fit the data, suggesting that the covariance betwee n the So scale and self-reported delinquency owes in part to shared etiolog ical factors.