Childhood Psychological Abuse and Neglect on Adolescents' Relational Aggression: The Role of Parental Attachment and Rejection Sensitivity

ABSTRACT Relational aggression is a covert, psychologically damaging behaviour that has a significant impact on adolescents' psychological and social development. Research on the effects of childhood psychological abuse and neglect on adolescent relational aggression remains understudied. An in‐depth exploration of the mechanisms underlying these effects is essential for developing effective prevention and intervention measures. This study conducted a three‐wave survey in three junior high schools in Zhejiang Province, collecting a total of 688 valid questionnaires using cluster sampling. The mean age of the sample at T1 was 13.161 ± 0.909. The relationship between parental psychological abuse and neglect and adolescent relational aggression, as well as the sequential mediation effect of parental attachment and rejection sensitivity, was analysed through structural equation modelling. Parental psychological abuse and neglect were found to be significantly and positively related to adolescent relational aggression, with psychological abuse having a higher effect. In addition, parental psychological abuse and neglect were able to influence relational aggression through both independent mediations by parental attachment and rejection sensitivity, as well as through sequential mediation. These findings expand our understanding of how parenting behaviours shape adolescent mental health and provide important empirical evidence for the development and implementation of targeted preventive measures and intervention programmes.