The Mediating Role of Self-mastery and the Regulating Effect of Friendship Quality between Strict Parental Discipline and the Problem Behavior of Junior High School Students in China

Abstract

Family education and growing psychological problems in junior high school students have raised serious concerns in recent years. This study investigated the relationship between strict parental discipline and problem behavior in junior high school students. 1,067 Junior high school students were enrolled based on several variables –strict parental discipline, self-esteem level and friendship quality –to examine problem behavior in their age group. Our study found that: (1) strict parental discipline could contribute to problem behavior in junior high school students. (2) Self-esteem plays an intermediary role between strict parental discipline and junior high school students' problem behavior; strict parenting affects junior high school students' self-esteem level and they, in turn, develop behavior problems. (3) Friendship quality plays a regulating role in the intermediary effect of self-esteem.