Examining Parent-adolescent Conflict and Bullying Perpetration in Chinese Adolescents: A Parallel Latent Class Growth Modeling Approach

Despite extensive research on the prevalence and impact of parent-adolescent conflict and bullying perpetration, the underlying developmental mechanisms between the two variables have not been fully explored. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the developmental trajectories of parent-adolescent conflict and bullying perpetration among Chinese adolescents. Using three waves of data from 899 middle school students (458 females; Mage = 14.55 years, SD = 1.60), this research examines the independent and joint developmental trajectories of parent-adolescent conflict and bullying perpetration and investigates the role of demographic variables in their joint development. Latent class growth analysis revealed that parent-adolescent conflict and bullying perpetration follow three and two distinct developmental trajectories, respectively. The joint developmental trajectories of parent-adolescent conflict and bullying perpetration were identified as “medium bullying-medium conflict-decreasing”, “low bullying-medium conflict-growth”, and “medium bullying-low conflict-decreasing”. Demographic characteristics, including boarding status, only child status and left-behind status, had the significant effect on the joint developmental trajectories. These findings underscore the importance of parent-child relationships in preventing adolescent bullying, offering evidence-based insights for understanding the developmental trajectories and informing effective intervention strategies.