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Peer victimization and depression in early-mid adolescence: a longitudinal study
Helen Sweeting1, Robert Young, Patrick West
1MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Glasgow, UK. helen@msoc.mrc.gla.ac.uk
The British Journal of Educational Psychology
|September 7, 2006
Summary
Peer victimization and depression in adolescents have a reciprocal relationship, with depression increasingly predicting victimization in boys by age 15. This highlights the need to consider both directions in interventions for youth mental health.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Adolescent mental health
- Childhood adversity
Background:
- Cross-sectional studies show links between peer victimization and psychological distress in youth, but cannot establish causality.
- Existing research offers mixed findings on the directionality of the victimization-depression association.
- Limited longitudinal studies have attempted to determine the causal relationship between peer victimization and depression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To utilize longitudinal data to test competing hypotheses regarding the direction of the victimization-depression association.
- To investigate potential gender differences in the relationship between peer victimization and depression over time.
- To examine the stability and reciprocal nature of victimization and depression in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of a Scottish school-based cohort (N=2,586).
- Data collected via self-completion questionnaires assessing depression and peer victimization at multiple time points.
- Structural equation modeling (SEM) used to analyze the reciprocal relationships and gender differences.
Main Results:
- A reciprocal relationship between peer victimization and depression was observed at age 13, with victimization more strongly predicting depression.
- By age 15, the association was primarily driven by depression predicting victimization, particularly among boys.
- Models examining simultaneous associations provided a better fit to the data than those with cross-lagged paths.
Conclusions:
- While policy often views victimization as a cause of distress, the findings suggest a bidirectional relationship.
- Professionals should recognize that children and adolescents experiencing depression may become targets for victimization.
- Interventions should address both victimization and depression, considering the evolving directionality of their association, especially in boys.
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