The Protective Role of Caring Parenting Styles in Adolescent Bullying Victimization: The Effects of Family Function and Constructive Conflict Resolution

Based on attachment theory and the McMaster family functioning model, this study explores the protective role and mechanisms of a caring parenting style in protecting adolescents from bullying, from the perspective of the family environment. Study 1, conducted in Southwest China with middle school s...

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Main Authors: Haoliang Zhu, Haojie Fu, Haiyan Liu, Bin Wang, Xiao Zhong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Behavioral Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/982
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author Haoliang Zhu
Haojie Fu
Haiyan Liu
Bin Wang
Xiao Zhong
author_facet Haoliang Zhu
Haojie Fu
Haiyan Liu
Bin Wang
Xiao Zhong
author_sort Haoliang Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Based on attachment theory and the McMaster family functioning model, this study explores the protective role and mechanisms of a caring parenting style in protecting adolescents from bullying, from the perspective of the family environment. Study 1, conducted in Southwest China with middle school students (n = 4582), investigates the relationship between a caring parenting style and adolescent bullying victimization through a large-scale cross-sectional survey. The results show that both parents’ caring parenting styles are significantly negatively correlated with adolescent bullying victimization. Study 2, a two-wave study (n = 302), explores the protective mechanisms of a caring parenting style in adolescent bullying victimization. We not only observed again that a caring parenting style significantly negatively predicts bullying victimization but also found that family functioning and constructive conflict resolution play a chain-mediating role in this relationship. This finding not only supports the core hypothesis of attachment theory regarding the role of a secure base but also expands the theoretical model of bullying protection from a family ecological perspective by revealing a three-level transmission mechanism of parenting style–family system–individual capability, providing a theoretical anchor for the construction of a “family–school” collaborative intervention framework.
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spelling doaj-art-4b333fd95a424b59a72bae34969d070b2025-08-20T03:58:26ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-07-0115798210.3390/bs15070982The Protective Role of Caring Parenting Styles in Adolescent Bullying Victimization: The Effects of Family Function and Constructive Conflict ResolutionHaoliang Zhu0Haojie Fu1Haiyan Liu2Bin Wang3Xiao Zhong4Department of Psychology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, ChinaShanghai Science Center for Autonomous Intelligent Unmanned Systems, Tongji University, Shanghai 201210, ChinaDepartment of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an 710032, ChinaDepartment of Applied Psychology, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, ChinaSchool of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, ChinaBased on attachment theory and the McMaster family functioning model, this study explores the protective role and mechanisms of a caring parenting style in protecting adolescents from bullying, from the perspective of the family environment. Study 1, conducted in Southwest China with middle school students (n = 4582), investigates the relationship between a caring parenting style and adolescent bullying victimization through a large-scale cross-sectional survey. The results show that both parents’ caring parenting styles are significantly negatively correlated with adolescent bullying victimization. Study 2, a two-wave study (n = 302), explores the protective mechanisms of a caring parenting style in adolescent bullying victimization. We not only observed again that a caring parenting style significantly negatively predicts bullying victimization but also found that family functioning and constructive conflict resolution play a chain-mediating role in this relationship. This finding not only supports the core hypothesis of attachment theory regarding the role of a secure base but also expands the theoretical model of bullying protection from a family ecological perspective by revealing a three-level transmission mechanism of parenting style–family system–individual capability, providing a theoretical anchor for the construction of a “family–school” collaborative intervention framework.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/982caring parenting stylebullyingfamily functionconstructive conflict resolution
spellingShingle Haoliang Zhu
Haojie Fu
Haiyan Liu
Bin Wang
Xiao Zhong
The Protective Role of Caring Parenting Styles in Adolescent Bullying Victimization: The Effects of Family Function and Constructive Conflict Resolution
Behavioral Sciences
caring parenting style
bullying
family function
constructive conflict resolution
title The Protective Role of Caring Parenting Styles in Adolescent Bullying Victimization: The Effects of Family Function and Constructive Conflict Resolution
title_full The Protective Role of Caring Parenting Styles in Adolescent Bullying Victimization: The Effects of Family Function and Constructive Conflict Resolution
title_fullStr The Protective Role of Caring Parenting Styles in Adolescent Bullying Victimization: The Effects of Family Function and Constructive Conflict Resolution
title_full_unstemmed The Protective Role of Caring Parenting Styles in Adolescent Bullying Victimization: The Effects of Family Function and Constructive Conflict Resolution
title_short The Protective Role of Caring Parenting Styles in Adolescent Bullying Victimization: The Effects of Family Function and Constructive Conflict Resolution
title_sort protective role of caring parenting styles in adolescent bullying victimization the effects of family function and constructive conflict resolution
topic caring parenting style
bullying
family function
constructive conflict resolution
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/982
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