The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between four independent variables and a fifth dependent variable - juvenile delinquency. The four independent variables were: (1) perception by youth of parental acceptance or rejection; (2) normative orientation of parents--conformist or deviant; (3) normative orientation of reference others--conformist or deviant; and (4) the primary source of youth identification--parent or reference others. A theory was developed linking these five factors. Questionnaires were administered to 640 boys and girls in the ninth through the twelfth grades in three high schools and two drop-in centers in North Dakota. Findings revealed that responses to the four independent variables did discriminate between the respondents according to their extent of delinquency involvement. The normative orientation of the youths reference others proved to be the best predictor followed by the parent-child relationships identification of the youth with reference others and parents delinquency. A multiple regression analysis revealed that all four of the independent variables acting together explained R=.605 of the variance in the dependent variable. A configuration table depicting all possible outcomes between the independent variables and the dependent variables indicated linearity and proved to be useful in predicting delinquent or conformist behavior. (Author)