The Mediating Role of Aggressive Attitudes and Moral Disengagement Between Family Functioning and High School Students’ Aggressive Behaviors in China: A Multi-Group Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Although previous research has established that family functioning plays a significant role in high school students’ aggressive behaviors, the exact mechanisms underlying this influence remain unclear. This study explores how aggressive attitudes and moral disengagement mediate the relationship between family functioning and aggression in high school students, while also investigating the moderating role of gender. Data were collected from 1,183 Chinese high school students. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with multi-group analysis was employed to assess the mediation and moderation effects. Findings indicated that positive family functioning correlates with lower levels of moral disengagement and aggressive attitudes, subsequently reducing aggression. Multi-group SEM analysis further revealed that the effects of family functioning and moral disengagement were more pronounced in females than in males. These results deepen our understanding of the complex relationship between family functioning and high school student’s aggression, highlighting potential pathways for targeted prevention and intervention. The contributions and implications of this study were discussed.