This study tested Robert Agnew's General Strain Theory (GST) using data from a survey of 6,503 high school students. The study found moderate support for GST, with higher levels of delinquency associated with failure to achieve goals, loss of valued social bonds, and exposure to stressful events. However, the limited data available constrained the ability to fully evaluate GST. More comprehensive data would be needed to fully measure GST's ability to explain criminal behavior resulting from experiences of strain.

1. By: Rene Torres

2.  Agnew’s strain theory encompasses a range of
factors that aim to determine why people
commit crime. Here, we will look at a
dissertation on juvenile deviance, which were
aimed to measure General Strain theory's value
in explaining crime. This case study embodies
all of Agnew’s GST in order to measure
whether it can indicate higher probability rates
to delinquency.

3.  As mentioned, G.S.T. aims to put all factors that cause strain into
perspective instead to Merton’s theory that revolved around one
aspect of strain, which Agnew found limiting.
 Agnew’s incorporated many other aspects of other theories into
his own, only because they were relative to strain theory and
they’d increase the likelihood of crime .
 Through Agnew’s theory, strain can be caused about anything,
which therefore means there are thousands of factors that might
lead to crime.
 Like Classical Strain Theory (Merton’s), nothing is different,
except that there are no limiting factors.

4.  This study used Agnew’s points of
reference that lead to crime, such as
loss of valued objects, not being able
to obtain goals, and ect.
 The study wanted in empiric stand
point test the GST as to its measure
on effectively indicating crime .
 This study was hindered by limited
data, although most of the
hypothesis were supported through
measured scales.
 All the hypothesis introduced were
supported, except that limited data
might have not reflected the crime.
 The measured scale was, which
indicate4d high delinquency, 5.74.
Anything close to that number
meant a higher probability.
 6,503 students from
high schools.
 3,131 female and 2,922
males
 3,627 Caucasian,
1,430 African
American, 669
Hispanic, 213 Asians,
54 American Indians,
and 12 other.

5.  The first hypothesis indicates
that “failure to obtain
individual goals” contributes to
a slight probability o f increased
crime by relating to regression
levels on the studies measure
scale, which were living to the
ages 25/35, wanting to attend
college, or likeliness to attend
college.
 The second hypothesis tested
social bonds or loss value
objects. Of the social bonds, out
of school suspensions,
expulsion, and loss of a teacher
model due to not getting along
correlated to a significant
portion of delinquency.
 Third hypothesis focuses on
stress around social interactions.
Of these variables, depression,
low self-efficacy, witnessing
shooting, physical altercations,
loneliness, and safety of
neighborhood contributed to
higher regression levels.
 The fourth hypothesis is the
combined element of all three
previous hypothesis. Even with
all regression levels combined,
the measure was no where near
the 5.74 standard. Although,
some variables were
significantly higher than others.

6.  This the first table, which
when allotted comes to a
measure of .21. This scaled
number meant “a moderate
amount of variation in
delinquency.”
 The marriage by 25 variable
indicates that there will be
higher levels.
 Chances---live to age 35 -.08**
 0Chances---marriage by age 25 -
.32**
 Chances---killed by age 21 .05**
 Chances---getting HIV Aids
.04**
 Want to Attend College .03
 Likely to attend College .18**

7.  Adults care about you .05*
 Teachers care about you .04**
 Parents care about you .03**
 Friends care about you -.07
 Family understands you .07**
 Family has fun together .09**
 Family pays attention to you .01
 Received out of school suspension
.19**
 Expelled from school .13** 6.701
 Trouble getting along with teachers
.14**
 Trouble with other students .03*
 Feel close to people atschool-.03
 Feel part of your school .08**
 Happy at your school .05**
 The information of the 2nd
hypothesis emphasized
social bonds, which may
have led to higher levels of
delinquency, such ass
suspension, expulsion, and
trouble with student
 The regression level comes
out to .21, like the first one,
which indicates that there
are moderate increases
within these young people.

8.  This table dealt with events of
youths in regards to their
social interactions. The higher
positive number meant higher
delinquency.
 This table indicates the more
serious events have higher
rates to delinquency.
 The study mentions that while
the same regression level of
.21 is displayed, the moderate
increases support the affects of
negative stimuli responses in
the works of criminologist
Paternoster and Mazerolle
(Gullion, 2006)
 Past week felt people were unfriendly to you-.01
 Past week felt sad .02
 Past week felt people dislike you -.01
 Past week felt life not worth living .06*
 Past week saw shooting/stabbing of Person .11*
 Past year had a gun/knife pulled on you .09*
 Past year someone shot you .03*
 Past year someone stabbed you .07*
 Past year got into physical fight .21*
 Past year were jumped .08*
 Past year were happy/unhappy to move -.09
 Feel safe in neighborhood -.14
 How happy living in neighborhood .07*
 Past week felt depressed .06*
 Past week felt life had been a failure .03**
 Past week felt fearful -.02
 Past week felt lonely .04*

9.  By combining all three
regression levels of the last
three hypothesis and three
extra variables, the
probability seems to be slight
in comparison to individual
hypothesis, except put into
context as to 6,000 youths,
then there’s indication of
increased crime due to
strain.
 Although, sex wasn’t that
much of an effective variable
in this study.
 Failure to Achieve
Goals Scale .08*
 Loss of Valued Objects
Scale .25*
 Introduction of Stressful
Events Scale .18*
 Age .07*
 Race .02**
 Sex -.08*

10.  The study concluded that there’s still a need for more
data.
 The constrained allotted data did not fully put GTS
into context, though it did show increases in criminal
behavior in regards to strain (Gullion, 2006).
 Minimal data had contributed to low regression levels,
which might be fixed with more data rather than
revolving around 6,000 youths (Gullion, 2006).
 The study also finds it that each topic measured needs
further analysis in future studies so that the GST model
could be utilized effectively .

11.  Ball, R.A., Cullen, T.C., Robert, L.J. Criminological Theory . 5th. Thousand Oaks: Sage
Publication, Inc., 2011. Print.
 Gullion, J. G. (2006). Explaining juvenile delinquency: A test of robert agnew's general
strain theory, utilizing the national longitudinal study of adolescent health
data. University of North Texas). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 100-100 p.
Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/305293638?accountid=27966. (305293638)