Self-report data were obtained from male and female students in a coastal city in the southern Philippines. Analyses reveal higher rates of delinquency among males. Delinquency is regressed on several independent variables, including peer relations, social bond measures, age, and father's occupation. Peer relations and attitudinal constructs are significantly associated with delinquency, particularly among males. Interestingly, sons of higher-status fathers are more delinquent than are juveniles from lower-status backgrounds. Among girls, the collective influence of the independent variables is negligible. The results of the study are discussed relative to various theoretical explanations but with an emphasis on Philippine social structure and values. Attention is given to the family context and to the influence of peer groups, or the barkada, on delinquency, especially among middle-class males. The lack of explanation of female delinquency in this data set is addressed relative to the status of women in Philippine society and the need to focus on the contextual factors that affect the lives of juvenile females.
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