Interparental Conflict and Delinquency Among Chinese Adolescents: Parental Knowledge as a Mediator and Deviant Peer Affiliation as a Moderator

Hong Lu; Quanfeng Chen; Chuyin Xie; Qiao Liang; Lanping Wang; Min Xie; Chengfu Yu; Jianping Wang

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01775

Interparental Conflict and Delinquency Among Chinese Adolescents: Parental Knowledge as a Mediator and Deviant Peer Affiliation as a Moderator

Front Psychol. 2020 Aug 20:11:1775. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01775. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Hong Lu¹, Quanfeng Chen¹, Chuyin Xie¹, Qiao Liang², Lanping Wang³, Min Xie⁴, Chengfu Yu², Jianping Wang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
² School of Education, Research Center of Adolescent Psychology and Behavior, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
³ School of Fine Arts and Design, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
⁴ Longhu Middle School Affiliated to Guangdong University of Education, Shantou, China.
⁵ School of Politics and Public Administration, Research Center of Education and Social Integration for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.

Abstract

Interparental conflict has been found to positively affect adolescent delinquency; however, the underlying mechanism that explains this association remains unclear. This study investigated whether parental knowledge mediates the association between interparental conflict and adolescent delinquency, and whether this mediating process is moderated by deviant peer affiliation. To examine this, a total of 3,129 Chinese adolescents (47.27% boys, Mean _age = 14.94 years) completed a survey. Structural equation modeling indicated that the positive association between interparental conflict and adolescent delinquency is mediated by parental knowledge. Moreover, for adolescents with high deviant peer affiliation, interparental conflict was found to positively predict delinquency via parental knowledge; however, this indirect link was non-significant for adolescents with low deviant peer affiliation. These findings highlight the influence of parental knowledge and deviant peer affiliation on the association between interparental conflict and adolescent delinquency. This can provide guidance for the development of effective interventions that address the adverse effects of interparental conflict.

Keywords: adolescent; delinquency; deviant peer affiliation; interparental conflict; parental knowledge.