The serial mediation effects of parent-child relationships on juvenile delinquency: a nationwide analysis based on data from China's Recidivism Survey.

Introduction: Juvenile delinquency has become an increasing concern in social governance, with the family, particularly the parent-child relationship, playing a central role in adolescent development and preventing antisocial behavior. However, the mechanisms linking parent-child relationships to delinquency, particularly in non-Western contexts, remain insufficiently understood. Methods: Using offender data from China's 2019 Recidivism Survey, this study examined whether parent-child relationships were associated with juvenile delinquency, defined as offending between ages 12 and 25. A serial mediation model was employed to test whether this association operated through self-control competence and deviant peer association, and whether the effect of self-control competence on juvenile delinquency differed by gender. Results: Results show that parent-child relationships are associated with juvenile delinquency directly and indirectly through self-control competence and deviant peer association. Relative to poor relationships, good and average parent-child relationships are associated with a lower likelihood of juvenile delinquency. Among mediators, deviant peer associations contribute the largest indirect effect. Gender moderation analyses indicate that self-control competence offers stronger protection against delinquency for males. Discussion: These findings contribute to integrated understanding of how family dynamics, individual self-regulation, and peer contexts are linked to juvenile delinquency and highlight the importance of supportive parent-child relationships for prevention.