Relationship Between Moral Disengagement and Aggression Risk in Adolescents with Depression: A Moderated Mediation Model

Adolescent depression constitutes a major public health concern and is frequently accompanied by pronounced aggressive behaviors that extend beyond core emotional symptoms. Moral disengagement has been identified as a stable predictor of aggressive behavior in general adolescent populations. However, its role in clinically depressed adolescents remains poorly understood. Grounded in social cognitive theory, the present study examines the relationship between moral disengagement and aggression risk in adolescents with depression, with particular attention to the mediating role of depressive symptoms and the moderating role of family functioning. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 225 adolescents diagnosed with depression. The results indicated that moral disengagement significantly predicted aggression, and this relationship was mediated by depressive symptoms, but only under specific conditions of family cohesion. Family cohesion moderated the second stage of the mediation pathway, whereas family adaptability, measured as the discrepancy between ideal and actual cohesion, did not exhibit a significant moderating effect. These findings clarify the psychological mechanisms and boundary conditions through which moral disengagement contributes to aggression risk, providing both a theoretical framework and practical guidance for clinical risk assessment and the development of targeted interventions, including cognitive remediation and systemic family support.