J Affect Disord. 2024 Jul 15:S0165-0327(24)01101-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.048. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: According to the healthy context paradox, the negative effects of peer victimization on core self-evaluation and depressive symptoms may vary in different levels of classroom-level victimization. However, previous studies have not investigated this issue using a longitudinal study design.
OBJECTIVE: The present study used a longitudinal design to examine why and under what conditions peer victimization was associated with adolescents’ depressive symptoms.
METHOD: A large number of Chinese adolescents (Time 1: N = 4164, 50.3 % girls, Mage = 12.89, SDage = 0.77; Time 2: N = 4001, 50.4 % girls, Mage = 14.39, SDage = 0.75) were followed for one and a half years.
RESULTS: Results showed that adolescents who were victimized in healthy contexts were more depressed and were at an increased risk of reporting more negative core self-evaluation than those victimized in unhealthy contexts. Moreover, core self-evaluation served as a mediator between peer victimization and depressive symptoms.
LIMITATIONS: This study included two waves of data, which limited the exploration of dynamic relationships between peer victimization and depressive symptoms. In addition, the self-reported data weakened the objectivity of the results. Finally, this study neglected the effects of different dimensions of peer victimization on depressive symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS: The healthy context paradox of peer victimization is identified in China, highlighting that future interventions of peer victimization should pay more attention to specific remaining victimized and self-devaluing individuals in healthy contexts.
PMID:39019221 | DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.048
