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Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Research

Longitudinal association between interparental conflict and risk-taking behavior among Chinese adolescents: testing a moderated mediation model

Authors: Wan-Yu Ye, Kai Dou, Lin-Xin Wang, Xiao-Qi Lin, Ming-Chen Zhang

Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Background

The interparental conflict has been associated with an increased adolescents’ engagement in risk-taking behaviors. However, few studies have examined the potential mediation of deviant peer affiliation and the potential moderation of school climate. Grounded in the ecological system theory, this study aimed to explore the mediating role of deviant peer affiliation and the moderating role of school climate between the association of interparental conflict and risk-taking behavior.

Methods

This study conducted a longitudinal design (3 time points, 3 months apart) with the sample comprising 550 middle school students in southeastern China (52.91% males; mean age at Time 1 = 15.37). The performed measurements encompassed interparental conflict (T1), deviant peer affiliation (T2), school climate (T3), risk-taking behavior (T1/T2/T3), and demographic information.

Results

The moderated mediation model revealed that after controlling for T1/T2 risk-taking behavior, T1 interparental conflict was longitudinally and positively correlated with T3 risk-taking behavior through T2 deviant peer affiliation. Furthermore, moderated mediation analysis demonstrated that a positive school climate ameliorated the adverse impact of deviant peer affiliation on risk-taking behavior, thereby mitigating the indirect effect of interparental conflict on risk-taking behavior among adolescents.

Conclusions

Our findings propose a nuanced explanation of the processing mechanisms between interparental conflict and risk-taking behaviors among Chinese adolescents. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
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Metadata
Title
Longitudinal association between interparental conflict and risk-taking behavior among Chinese adolescents: testing a moderated mediation model
Authors
Wan-Yu Ye
Kai Dou
Lin-Xin Wang
Xiao-Qi Lin
Ming-Chen Zhang
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1753-2000
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00556-4

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