Peer Victimization and Adjustment in Young Adulthood: Introduction to the Special Section

Social processes as the missing link: cross-sectionally testing a conceptual model on social mediators of early psychopathological development

BACKGROUND

Research suggests that most mental health conditions have their onset in the critically social period of adolescence. Yet, we lack understanding of the potential social processes underlying early psychopathological development. We propose a conceptual model where daily-life social interactions and social skills form an intermediate link between known risk and protective factors (adverse childhood experiences, bullying, social support, maladaptive parenting) and psychopathology in adolescents - that is explored using cross-sectional data.

METHODS

N = 1913 Flemish adolescent participants (Mean age = 13.8; 63% girls) were assessed as part of the SIGMA study, a large-scale, accelerated longitudinal study of adolescent mental health and development. Self-report questionnaires (on risk/protective factors, social skills, and psychopathology) were completed during class time; daily-life social interactions were measured during a subsequent six-day experience-sampling period.

RESULTS

Registered uncorrected multilevel linear regression results revealed significant associations between all risk/protective factors and psychopathology, between all risk/protective factors and social processes, and between all social processes and psychopathology. Social processes (social skills, quantity/quality of daily social interactions) were uniquely predicted by each risk/protective factor and were uniquely associated with both general and specific types of psychopathology. For older participants, some relationships between social processes and psychopathology were stronger.

CONCLUSIONS

Unique associations between risk/protective factors and psychopathology signify the distinct relevance of these factors for youth mental health, whereas the broad associations with social processes support these processes as broad correlates. Results align with the idea of a social pathway toward early psychopathology, although follow-up longitudinal research is required to verify any mediation effect.

"It's Not You, It's Me": Examining the Roles of Romantic Self-Blame and Social Support in Pathways From Peer Victimization to Emerging Adult Depressive Symptoms

Although experiences of adolescent peer victimization elevate risk for depressive symptoms during emerging adulthood, the mechanisms underlying this pathway are not well-understood. Drawing from attribution theory and models of relational schemas, the current study introduces romantic self-blame as a putative novel mechanism linking adolescent peer victimization to emerging adult depressive symptoms and evaluates perceived social support as a protective factor. A diverse sample of 350 emerging adults completed self-report measures of retrospective peer victimization, romantic characterological and behavioral self-blaming attributions, social support, and depressive symptoms. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the hypothesized two-factor structure of romantic self-blame. Additionally, conditional process models demonstrated that elevated romantic characterological-but not behavioral-self-blame partially explained the association between retrospective peer victimization and current depressive symptoms, particularly among those perceiving low social support. Results suggest that earlier peer victimization may alter emerging adults' romantic appraisals in ways that increase distress, particularly in the absence of supportive interpersonal relationships.

Cybervictimization, Self-Concept, Aggressiveness, and School Anxiety in School Children: A Structural Equations Analysis

The rapid increase in cases of cybervictimization amongst children has led researchers to examine the psychoemotional factors related to cyberbullying behavior, in an attempt to prevent and minimize its impact. The objective of this study was to establish and contrast the fit of an explanatory model on cybervictimization based on its relationship with self-concept, aggressiveness, and school anxiety using a structural equations analysis. A total of 542 Spanish students aged 10-12 (M age = 10.97; SD = 0.74) completed a battery of questionnaires. An adjusted structural equations model was obtained (χ² = 512.23; df = 99; p < 0.001; CFI = 0.928; NFI = 0.91; IFI = 0.928; RMSEA = 0.078). A direct and negative relationship was obtained between cybervictimization and self-concept and between cybervictimization and school anxiety. In addition, a direct and positive relationship was found between aggressiveness and self-concept and between aggressiveness and school anxiety. Indirect relationships were not found between the variables. The study's findings demonstrate that the variables of self-concept and school anxiety are directly related to cybervictimization and that the improved psychoemotional adjustment of the youngest students may help to prevent the risk of being victimized over the Internet.

Global variation in the prevalence of bullying victimisation amongst adolescents: Role of peer and parental supports

BACKGROUND

Bullying victimisation is a global public health problem that has been predominantly studied in high income countries. This study aimed to estimate the population level prevalence of bullying victimisation and its association with peer and parental supports amongst adolescents across low and middle income to high income countries (LMIC-HICs).

METHODS

Data were drawn from the Global School-based Student Health Survey of school children aged 12-17 years, between 2003 and 2015, in 83 LMIC-HICs in the six World Health Organization (WHO) regions. We estimated the weighted prevalence of bullying victimisation at country, region and global level. We used multiple binary logistic regression models to estimate the adjusted association of age, gender, socioeconomic status, and parental support and peer support, and country level variables (GDP and government expenditure on education) with adolescent bullying victimisation.

FINDINGS

Of the 317,869 adolescents studied, 151,036 (48%) were males, and 166,833 (52%) females. The pooled prevalence of bullying victimisation on one or more days in the past 30 days amongst adolescents aged 12-17 years was 30·5% (95% CI: 30·2-31·0%). The highest prevalence was observed in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (45·1%, 44·3-46·0%) and African region (43·5%, 43·0-44·3%), and the lowest in Europe (8·4%, 8·0-9·0%). Bullying victimisation was associated with male gender (OR: 1·21; 1·11-1·32), below average socio-economic status (OR: 1·47, 1·35-1·61), and younger age (OR: 1·11, 1·0-1·24). Higher levels of peer support (0·51, 0·46-0·57), higher levels of parental support (e.g., understanding children's problems (OR: 0·85, 0·77-0·95), and knowing the importance of free time spent with children (OR: 0·77, 0·70-0·85)), were significantly associated with a reduced risk of bullying victimisation.

INTERPRETATIONS

Bullying victimisation is prevalent amongst adolescents globally, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean and African regions. Parental and peer supports are protective factors against bullying victimisation. A reduction in bullying victimisation may be facilitated by family and peer based interventions aimed at increasing social connectedness of adolescents.

School and Family Factors Predicting Adolescent Cognition Regarding Bystander Intervention in Response to Bullying and Victim Retaliation

Youth aggression occurs at high rates. Aggressive acts can be curbed through bystander intervention; yet, little is known about school and family factors that predict bystander intervention in response to both aggression and victim retaliation. This research examines school and family factors related to standing up to aggression and intervening before possible retaliation occurs. Participants included 6^th and 9^th graders (N = 896, 52.8% female), who evaluated how likely they would be to intervene if they observed aggression and if they heard the victim was planning to retaliate. Family and school factors are important predictors of bystander intervention, with higher family management, and more positive school climate associated with greater likelihood of intervention and higher feelings of social exclusion and teacher and peer discrimination associated with inactive responses to aggression and retaliation. Thus, a complex constellation of factors relate to the likelihood of intervening if someone is being victimized or considering retaliation in response to victimization. The results provide guidance and new directions for possible school- and family-based interventions to encourage bystander intervention in instances of aggression.