| (GST) General Strain Theory (Agnew, 1992) broadens traditional strain theories by focusing on adolescents' negative relationships with others. Negative affective states may have the potential to arouse delinquent tendencies in adolescents. This article tests only strain measures of GST. Although measures of differential association and social control are part of the overall analysis of predicting delinquency, these two measures were not examined in the current study because they do not adhere to the major assumptions of GST and therefore do not accurately measure strain. Survey data were used to detect if group differences exist between African American and white youth on components of GST. It is argued that African American youth experience more strain than white youth. If this is true it is hypotheized that: (1) African American youth experience relationships with more negative affect than white youth and (2) there will be more delinquency as a coping mechanism to strain among African American youth.
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Updated 05/20/2006