The Relationship between Peer Attachment and Aggressive Behavior among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Effect of Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy

Haitao Liu, Kai Dou, Chengfu Yu, Yangang Nie and Xue Zheng
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Haitao Liu: School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Kai Dou: Department of Psychology and Research Center of Adolescent Psychology and Behavior, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Chengfu Yu: Department of Psychology and Research Center of Adolescent Psychology and Behavior, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Yangang Nie: Department of Psychology and Research Center of Adolescent Psychology and Behavior, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Xue Zheng: School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-10

Abstract: This study aimed to test the association between peer attachment and aggressive behavior, as well as the mediating effect of regulatory emotional self-efficacy on this relationship. A total of 1171 (582 male, 589 female) Chinese adolescents completed self-reported questionnaires that assessed peer attachment, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, and aggressive behavior. Path analysis showed that the negative association between peer attachment and adolescent aggressive behavior was mediated by self-efficacy in managing negative emotions. However, the mediating effect of self-efficacy in expressing positive emotions was nonsignificant. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the indirect paths mentioned above between male and female respondents. These findings highlight self-efficacy in managing negative emotions as a potential mechanism linking peer attachment to adolescent aggressive behavior.

Keywords: adolescents; aggressive behavior; peer attachment; regulatory emotional self-efficacy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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