Adolescent Peer Victimization and Deliberate Self-Harm: A Three-Wave Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

Background: Identifying deliberate self-harm (DSH) and peer victimization in adolescents is a public health issue. The present study evaluates a three-wave longitudinal model to examine the effect of peer victimization on DSH and the roles of internalizing problems (depression and anxiety) and perceived peer and teacher support climate in this relationship. Methods: The participants were 2381 adolescents (51.2% boys, Mage = 13.38, SD = .59) from Chinese middle schools. Self-report measures were used to collect data every 6 months in three waves. Results: (1) Peer victimization at T1 positively predicted DSH at T3. (2) Depression at T2, rather than anxiety, mediated the relationship between peer victimization at T1 and DSH at T3. (3) Perceived peer support climate at T1 played a moderating role between peer victimization at T1 and depression and anxiety at T2, but perceived teacher support climate did not. Peer victimization had a stronger predictive effect on depression and anxiety for students with high level of perceived peer support climate. Limitations: Study limitations include the short interval (6 months) of the longitudinal design, the reliance on self-report questionnaires, the inclusion of only one aspect of student-student and teacher–student relationships, and the age limitation. Conclusions: The results demonstrated the importance of prevention for improving social and emotional skills to reduce peer victimization and of interventions to promote a peer support climate in the classroom. The findings highlight the need to consider different types of internalizing problems and perceived support in studies of DSH in adolescents.

Peer victimization, depression, and non-suicidal self-injury among Chinese adolescents: the moderating role of the 5-HTR2A gene rs6313 polymorphism

“…Therefore, depression is an important, underlying psychosocial mechanism that clarifies that peer victimization is associated with more NSSI. This finding is congruent with the vulnerability-stress model [ 8 ], as well as previous research showed that depression can mediate the relation between negative interpersonal relationship (such as peer victimization) and problem behaviors [ 7 , 10 , 31 ]. A previous study [ 32 ] specifically examined the influence of peer victimization and depression on NSSI.…”

“…This may be because they experience a sense of being unworthy and disconnected from peers, which can trigger fierce dysfunctional emotional responses and states, such as depression [ 9 ]. According to a three-wave longitudinal study of 2381 Chinese adolescents, Wei et al [ 10 ] demonstrated that peer victimization could positively predict depression in the next 6 months.…”

Peer victimization, depression, and non-suicidal self-injury among Chinese adolescents: The moderating role of the 5-HTR2A gene rs6313 polymorphism

“…Therefore, depression is an important, underlying psychosocial mechanism that clari es that peer victimization is associated with more NSSI. This nding is congruent with the vulnerability-stress model [8], as well as previous research that showed that depression can mediate the relation between peer victimization and problem behaviors [7,10]. Previous studies [27] speci cally examined the in uence of peer victimization and depression on NSSI.…”

“…This is because they experience a sense of being unworthy and disconnected from peers, which can trigger erce dysfunctional emotional responses and states, such as depression [9]. With a three-wave longitudinal study of 2381 Chinese adolescents, Wei et al [10] demonstrated that peer victimization could positively predict depression in the next six months.…”

Associations Between Peer Victimization and Problematic Internet Use Among Adolescents: Humor Makes a Difference

“…Previous empirical evidence has found that strains could lead to negative emotions and affect subsequent addictive behaviors (Peck et al, 2018; Unnever & Cornell, 2003). Individuals experiencing peer victimization experience negative emotions (Stapinski et al, 2015; Wei et al, 2022). For example, a meta-analytic review showed that peer victimization is more strongly associated with depression than other types of psychological distress (Hawker et al, 2000).…”