The correspondence of family features with problem, aggressive, criminal, and violent behavior: a meta-analysis

Family features and characteristics are often identified as central to the development of antisocial behavior and are thus attractive targets for risk-focused preventive intervention. Using meta-analytic techniques, we examined the covariation between 21 family constructs with the current or later display of problem, aggressive, criminal, or violent behaviors. The 80 mean relationships, based on 3,124 correlations from 233 reports of 119 longitudinal studies, discussed in this paper are generally moderate, with a grand mean across outcomes of (r(x,y)) over bar = .15. Family constructs were most predictive of problem behaviors, (r(x,y)) over bar = .21. Predictors measured earlier in life were significantly stronger in 12 relationships and significantly weaker in 18 relationships. These findings are discussed with reference to Rutter's (American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 57:316-331, 1987) conceptualization of protective mechanisms which suggests that if family factors warrant the attention they have engendered, then it is through their interaction with other developmental and situational factors.