title: Influence of inter-parental conflict on adolescent delinquency via school connectedness: Is impulsivity a vulnerability or plasticity factor?
abstract: This study examined the mediating effect of school connectedness on the relationship between inter-parental conflict and adolescent delinquency, and impulsivity's moderation of the conditional effect of school connectedness. In total, 1407 Chinese students (mean age = 12.74 years, SD = 0.57) from 4 middle schools completed anonymous questionnaires regarding inter-parental conflict, impulsivity, school connectedness, and delinquency. Path analysis revealed school connectedness was a mediator in the relationship between inter-parental conflict and adolescent delinquency. Furthermore, impulsivity moderated the indirect effect of school connectedness in the relationship between inter-parental conflict and adolescent delinquency. A simple slope plot, together with a proportion affected (PA) index, indicated that impulsivity functioned more as a plasticity, rather than a vulnerability, factor in school connectedness. When school connectedness was low, high impulsivity was associated with more delinquent behaviors; however, when it was high, high impulsivity was associated with fewer delinquent behaviors.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology & Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Sha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Education & Center for Mind and Brain Science, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Chengfu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology & Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Shuangju
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology & Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: zhangwei@scnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology & Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology & Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D044466:Asian People; D002648:Child; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescent delinquency; Impulsivity; Inter-parental conflict; School connectedness