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How and when do peer deviant behaviours link to adolescent academic performance?: Longitudinal moderated mediation
Yu Sun1, Kaiji Zhou1, Jacky C K Ng1,2
1Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
The British Journal of Educational Psychology
|May 30, 2026
Summary
Peer deviant behaviors negatively impact adolescent academic performance over time, mediated by the adolescent's own deviant behaviors. Educational expectations can buffer this effect, but only at the initial stage of influence.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Peer deviant behaviors are linked to lower academic performance in adolescents.
- Mechanisms and the moderating role of educational expectations require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- Examine the longitudinal effect of peer deviant behaviors on academic performance in Chinese adolescents.
- Investigate the mediating role of adolescents' own deviant behaviors.
- Analyze the moderating role of educational expectations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a nationally representative two-wave dataset from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS, 2013-2015) with 8212 participants.
- Employed a moderated mediation model to test the proposed relationships.
Main Results:
- Peer deviant behaviors negatively impacted academic performance longitudinally.
- Adolescents' own deviant behaviors mediated this relationship.
- Educational expectations mitigated the effect of peer deviant behaviors on adolescents' own deviant behaviors, but not the subsequent impact on academic performance.
Conclusions:
- Peer deviant behaviors have a significant negative longitudinal effect on academic performance.
- Educational expectations can mitigate peer influence on adolescent behavior, but interventions should also address the direct impact of deviant behavior on academic outcomes.
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