The Interactive Effects of Parent–Child Attachment and Peer Relationships on Adolescent Criminal Propensity: A Latent Profile Analysis

Abstract

Based on the theory of informal social control, this study examined the pathways through which parent–child attachment and peer relationships influence delinquency propensity among 845 junior high school students, employing latent profile analysis and a moderated mediation model. The results revealed that: (a) Perceived social adversity partially mediated the relationship between parent–child attachment and adolescent delinquency propensity; (b) Adolescent peer relationships were classified into three distinct profiles: high intimacy–high conflict group (32%), moderate intimacy–moderate conflict group (53%), and low intimacy–low conflict group (15%); (c) Significant interaction effect between parent–child attachment and peer relationship profiles was found in predicting perceived social adversity, with different patterns observed—specifically, for adolescents in the high intimacy–high conflict and moderate intimacy–moderate conflict groups, strong parent–child attachment more effectively reduced perceived social adversity (enhancing pattern), whereas for those in the low intimacy–low conflict group, parent–child attachment and peer relationships operated independently. Regarding delinquency propensity, parent–child attachment and peer relationships operated through independent mechanisms. These findings provide important empirical evidence for understanding and intervening in adolescent delinquency propensity from a relational perspective.