Mediators and moderators in the link between maternal psychological control and peer victimization for Hong Kong Chinese boys

This study examined the relation between mothers' use of psychological control and their sons' risk for victimization in the peer group using a sample of 253 Hong Kong Chinese third- and fourth- grade boys and their mothers. Maternal psychological control did not correlate with sons' peer victimization for the entire sample. However, the association was significant for boys with few friends and those who scored low on social preference compared to their same-class peers. The link from maternal psychological control to peer group victimization for boys with few friends was partially mediated by the boys' aggressive social behavior.