A reciprocal relationship between parental maltreatment and child bullying perpetration in China

Abstract This study aimed to examine the longitudinal reciprocal relationship between parental maltreatment and child bullying perpetration from middle childhood to early adolescence in China and the associated gender differences. Eight hundred ninety‐one children completed a battery of questionnaires at four time points. A random‐intercept cross‐lagged model was established. The results indicated that at the between‐person level, child bullying perpetration was positively associated with physical and psychological maltreatment. At the within‐person level, there was a significant association between an increase in bullying perpetration and an increase in parental psychological and physical maltreatment across the four time points. Conversely, an increase in physical maltreatment led to an increase in child bullying perpetration from T1 to T2, while an increase in psychological maltreatment resulted in an increase in child bullying perpetration from T1 to T2 and T2 to T3. Furthermore, an increase in physical maltreatment increased boys' bullying perpetration but decreased that in girls from T2 to T3. These findings provide inspiration for future family education and anti‐bullying interventions in schools.