Parental Corporal Punishment, Peer Victimization, and Aggressive Adolescent Behavior: The Moderating Effect of Parent-Adolescent Relationship

Numerous studies have indicated an association between parental corporal punishment and aggressive adolescent behavior. However, there is a significant gap in the knowledge of the underlying processes responsible for this association. This study aimed to examine the potential mediators that connect parental corporal punishment with aggressive behavior and moderators that exacerbate or attenuate this direct/indirect association. A sample of 3180 Chinese students (52.52% males, mean age = 14.93 years) participated in this study and completed anonymous questionnaires on parental corporal punishment, aggressive behavior, peer victimization, and parent-adolescent relationship. We found that parental corporal punishment was positively associated with aggressive adolescent behavior. Mediation analyses revealed that peer victimization significantly mediated the association between parental corporal punishment and aggressive adolescent behavior. Further, the parent-adolescent relationship significantly moderated the mediating path of “parent corporal punishment → peer victimization → aggressive behavior.” Specifically, this mediating effect was notably stronger for adolescents with high-quality parent-adolescent relationships than adolescents with low-quality parent-adolescent relationships. The negative impact of parental corporal punishment on aggressive behavior was much more significant than that of the parent-adolescent relationship. Peer victimization and parent-adolescent relationships were the underlying mechanisms (mediator/moderator) of the relationship between parental corporal punishment and adolescent aggressive behavior. These findings provide a valuable reference for developing targeted interventions to prevent aggressive adolescent behavior in the Chinese context. Highlights Parental corporal punishment was positively related to peer victimization and aggressive behavior. Peer victimization significantly mediated the relationship between parental corporal punishment and aggressive adolescent behavior. The parent-adolescent relationship significantly moderated the association between parental corporal punishment and peer victimization and the association between peer victimization and aggressive adolescent behavior. These associations were robust for adolescents with a positive parent-adolescent relationship.