Risk and Promotive Factors for Chinese Adolescent Problem Behaviors: A Resiliency Approach.

Abstract

The current dissertation aimed to test risks and promotive factors for problem behaviors among Chinese adolescents based on a resiliency perspective. The first study tested the risk effects of stress and the modifying effect of John Henryism on psychological well-being and problem behaviors. The second study tested the risk effect of negative peer influence and the modifying effect of parental support on psychological well-being and problem behaviors. The third study tested the effects of cumulative risks and promotive factors across the individual, family, peer and community domains. A cross-sectional survey using self-reported questionnaires was conducted in two urban cities in China: Beijing and Xian. Participants in the study include 1356 students in Grades 7 to 12 from middle and high schools. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses were conducted to test the conceptual models in the three studies. After controlling for demographics, analyses results of all three studies indicated good fit to the data by each of the models. Stress was associated with decreased self acceptance, increased mental distress among adolescents. Higher degree of mental distress was associated with increased delinquent behaviors and substance use. The results also indicated that individuals who have higher John Henryism reported more substance use as a result of mental distress. In the second study, negative peer influence was associated with increased delinquent behaviors, substance use, and increased psychological distress. The association between psychological distress and substance use became non-significant for adolescents with high parental support compared to adolescents with low parental support. Yet, the relationship between negative peer influence and psychological distress was stronger among adolescents who reported higher parental support. The findings in the third study indicated that higher cumulative risk was associated both directly and indirectly with more problem behaviors. The promotive factors provided compensatory effects through decreased likelihood of psychological distress. Children with more promotive factors also tend to report higher self acceptance. Promotive factors were also found to buffer the negative influence of cumulative risks on delinquency. Yet, the relationship between cumulative risks and psychological distress is stronger for children with more promotive factors than those with less promotive factors.