Teacher–Student Relationship Quality as a Mediator in the Association of Parent–Child Communication With Adolescent Bullying Perpetration and Substance Use: Evidence From the 2017/2018 HBSC Study

Bullying perpetration and substance use are two prevalent and concerning forms of delinquent behavior worldwide. Although parent-child communication has been theorized to reduce adolescents' involvement in these behaviors, empirical evidence remains mixed. Teacher-student relationship quality has been proposed as a potential mediator, but evidence from cross-national studies is limited. Using data from the 2017/2018 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study, this study examined a theoretical model in which teacher-student relationship quality mediates the associations of parent-child communication with bullying perpetration and substance use. Potential sex differences in these interrelationships were also examined. Results indicated that parent-child communication was negatively associated with bullying perpetration and substance use, with teacher-student relationship quality partially mediating these associations. Moreover, multi-group analyses showed that the model fit well for boys and girls. These findings underscore the significance of fostering positive parent-child communication and teacher-student relationships to reduce adolescent bullying perpetration and substance use.