Date of Publication

7-2025

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Counseling

Subject Categories

Family, Life Course, and Society

College

Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC College of Education

Department/Unit

Counseling and Educational Psychology

Thesis Advisor

Marissa S. Nicasio

Defense Panel Chair

Aime T. Guarino

Defense Panel Member

Estesa Xaris Que Legaspi
Khristine Lorraine Lim

Abstract/Summary

This study examined the relationship between perceived interparental conflict, emotional security, and peer relationships among Chinese adolescents aged 12 to 15. Guided by Emotional Security Theory (Davies & Cummings, 1994), the research employed a quantitative, cross-sectional design using standardized instruments administered to 394 students from two schools in Hebei Province. Statistical analysis was conducted via the JAMOVI software. Baron and Kenny approach, and Bootstrap confirmed that emotional security significantly mediated the relationship between interparental conflict and peer relationships, accounting for 77.4% of the total effect. Demographic variables, including age, gender, and parental education, showed no significant associations with the key psychosocial variables. The findings underscore the central role of emotional security in adolescents’ social adjustment, suggesting that the emotional climate within the family, rather than structural demographics, exerts a stronger influence on peer functioning. Within the Chinese sociocultural context—characterized by academic pressure and strong family values—these results offer practical implications for schools, counselors, and parents. Strengthening emotional regulation and family communication may mitigate the negative effects of perceived interparental conflict. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting emotional security as a pivotal pathway linking family dynamics to adolescent peer relationships in China.

Keywords: perceived interparental conflict, emotional security, peer relationships, Chinese adolescents

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

Security (Psychology)—China; Parent and teenager—China; Interpersonal relations in adolescence; Adolescent psychology

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