The Association between School Climate and Aggression: A Moderated Mediation Model
Zhenhua Li, Chengfu Yu, Yangang Nie
Aug 1, 2021
Citations
1
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Full text
Semantic Scholar
Key Takeaway Key Takeaway: School climate negatively impacts aggression in Chinese children and adolescents, with better parent-child relationships strengthening this relationship.
Abstract
While previous studies have shown evidence of an association between school climate and aggression, few have explored the mechanisms behind this association. As such, this cross-sectional study focused on both the mediating effects of self-control and the moderating effects of the parent-child relationship on the association between school climate and aggression. Data were obtained through an anonymous survey conducted among 1030 Chinese elementary and middle school students (52.72% male, average age = 11.53 years), who responded to items on school climate, aggression, self-control, and the parent-child relationship. First, the results showed that school climate was negatively associated with aggression. Second, a mediation analysis showed that self-control significantly mediated the association between school climate and aggression. Third, a moderated mediation analysis showed that the parent-child relationship significantly moderated the first stage of the indirect path (school climate → self-control). Specifically, this association was notably stronger among children and adolescents with better parent-child relationships. In sum, these findings constitute a valuable reference for both improving self-control and in the context of targeted interventions aimed at preventing aggression in children and adolescents in China.