Abstract

DANHOUSE, Merle Heather  and  ERASMUS, Charlene J. Family connectedness in families dealing with adolescents in conflict with the law. Social work (Stellenbosch. Online) [online]. 2020, vol.56, n.3, pp.347-365. ISSN 2312-7198.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15270/52-2-862.

This article explored family connectedness and the way that families are dealing with adolescents in conflict with the law. Ten adolescents, ten family members, and five social workers constituted the sample for the study. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews. Three themes were identified through thematic analysis. The results of this study clearly show that the level of connectedness amongst families influences how they deal with adolescents in conflict with the law. Family structure and parental engagement were key factors affecting the relationship with the adolescent. A low level of connectedness was evident in all the families interviewed.

Keywords : adolescents in conflict with the law; connectedness; delinquent behaviour; family connectedness; family functioning; general systems theory.

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