The Association Between Corporal Punishment and Problem Behaviors Among Chinese Adolescents: The Indirect Role of Self-Control and School Engagement

There is a large gap in knowledge about the mechanism by which corporal punishment is associated with problem behaviors. The current study addressed this by testing a model involving self-control and school engagement as mediators in a sample of Chinese adolescents. A sample of 505 adolescents completed anonymous questionnaires regarding corporal punishment, self-control, school engagement, and problem behaviors. Structural equation models showed that self-control mediated the association between corporal punishment and school engagement; self-control exerted an indirect effect on problem behaviors via school engagement; furthermore, corporal punishment might impact problem behaviors by the way of self-control and school engagement in sequence, implying the crucial roles of self-control and school engagement as particularly valuable intervention points. The present study contributes to our understanding of key mechanisms underlying the association between corporal punishment and adolescent problem behavior and can be used to guide future intervention development.