STUDY SUBJECTS INCLUDED 650 9TH-12TH-GRADE BOYS AND GIRLS FROM 3 HIGH SCHOOLS AND TWO COMMUNITY 'DROP IN CENTERS.' THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLES WERE: PERCEPTION BY YOUTHS OF PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION; NORMATIVE ORIENTATION (BEHAVIORAL NORMS) OF PARENTS (CONFORMIST OR DEVIANT); NORMATIVE ORIENTATION OF REFERENCE OTHERS (PEOPLE IMPORTANT TO THE RESPONDENT); AND PRIMARY SOURCE OF YOUTH IDENTIFICATION (PARENT OR REFERENCE OTHERS). THE BEST PREDICTOR OF DELINQUENCY INVOLVEMENT IS THE NORMATIVE ORIENTATION OF REFERENCE OTHERS, FOLLOWED BY PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS, YOUTH IDENTIFICATION WITH REFERENCE OTHERS, AND PARENT DEVIANCE. MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT THE FOUR VARIABLES ACTING TOGETHER ACCOUNT FOR APPROXIMATELY 60 PERCENT OF THE VARIANCE IN DELINQUENCY INVOLVEMENT. A CONFIGURATION TABLE SHOWING ALL POSSIBLE LINKS BETWEEN THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLES AND THE DEPENDENT VARIABLES IS FOUND TO BE USEFUL IN PREDICTING DELINQUENT OR CONFORMIST BEHAVIOR. SUPPORTING DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)