The Role Of Perceived Parental Acceptance-Rejection And Traumatic Events In The Development Of Criminal Thinking Styles Of Incarcerated Females

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to study the relationship between parental acceptance and rejection and traumatic events on the development of the criminal thinking style of incarcerated females. The study will help us to educate parents about the serious consequences of parental aggressive behavior and how females can be educated about their mental health problems and facilitate them to overcome these problems.

The research data has been collected from 95 female criminals from Peshawar and Mardan central jails. The mean age of female prisoners was 29.87 (SD = 7.26). The questionnaires which were used for the study propose was a short form of parental acceptance and rejection questionnaire (Adult PCS: Father & Mother) by Rohner and Khaleque (2008), Psychological inventory of criminal thinking styles (PICTS-revised) by GD Walter), a Life event checklist by National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder was used to assess the relationship.

The result showed that there is an inverse relationship between parental acceptance and criminal thinking style. After linear regression analysis, it has been proved that those individuals who did not receive warmth and affection from their parents have more tendencies to develop a criminal thinking style. Results also showed that those females who have a sexual traumatic history in their life are more likely to develop a criminal thinking style.