Parental Harsh Discipline and Cyberbullying Perpetration among Chinese College Students: Why and When are They Related?

Cyberbullying is a prevalent phenomenon in Chinese college students. Previous research has identified parental harsh discipline as a potential risk factor for this behavior. However, little is known about why and when parental harsh discipline is related to cyberbullying. To fill in the gap, the present study constructed a moderated mediation model, in which deviant peer affiliation and moral identity were examined as two mediators, and empathy was examined as a moderator. Participants were 1,492 Chinese vocational college students (54.2% females) aged 17–25 years (M = 19.07, SD = 1.03). They completed an online survey measuring the variables of interest. Results indicated that deviant peer affiliation and moral identity separately and serially mediated the relationship between parental harsh discipline and cyberbullying perpetration. Empathy moderated the predictive effects of parental harsh discipline and deviant peer affiliation on cyberbullying perpetration, as well as the mediation effect via deviant peer affiliation. These effects were much weaker for students with higher levels of empathy. The present findings can extend our knowledge about the mechanisms linking parental harsh discipline to cyberbullying behavior. The implications and limitations of this study are further discussed.