Reflected appraisals and self-view in delinquency development: An analysis of retrospective accounts from members of the Racine birth cohorts

•Cross-lagged path analysis between delinquent reflected appraisals and self-view•Participants came from the original 1942 and 1949 Racine cohorts.•Significant pathway from reflected appraisals to self-view to adult offending•Delinquent self-view mediates reflected appraisal–adult offending relationship.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine whether reflected appraisals of delinquency from parents and friends preceded a delinquent self-view in participants reporting adult criminality.MethodsRetrospective accounts of reflected appraisals of delinquency, a delinquent self-view, and adult offending were examined in 791 participants from the original 1942 and 1949 Racine cohorts.ResultsMediation analysis revealed the presence of a significant target pathway from reflected appraisals at age 14–17 to self-view at age 18–20 to adult offending at age 21 +. The control pathway, which ran from self-view at age 14–17 to reflected appraisals at age 18–20 to adult offending at age 21 + was not significant. The Preacher–Hayes contrast test revealed a significant difference between the two pathways.ConclusionsConsistent with the hypothesis tested in this study, the current results suggest that reflected appraisals of delinquency from others lay the groundwork for an individual's own view of themselves as delinquent.