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Peer Victimization, Internalizing Problems, and the Buffering Role of Friendship Quality: Disaggregating Between- and
Esther L Bernasco1, Jolien van der Graaff2, Wim H J Meeus2
1Department of Youth and Family, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. e.l.bernasco@uu.nl.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
|April 28, 2022
Summary
Peer victimization is linked to adolescent depression and anxiety. While friend support can help between individuals, it does not buffer these effects within a person over time.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Adolescent Psychology
Background:
- Peer victimization is a known risk factor for internalizing problems in adolescents.
- The buffering effect of friendship quality on this association requires further investigation, particularly regarding within-person processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the between- and within-person associations between peer victimization and internalizing problems (depression, anxiety) in adolescents.
- To investigate the moderating role of friend support and conflict in these associations.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with 497 Dutch adolescents over 6 waves (approx. 1 year apart).
- Disaggregated between-person and within-person variance to analyze peer victimization, depressive symptoms, anxiety, friend support, and conflict.
- Utilized questionnaire data collected over time.
Main Results:
- Peer victimization showed significant associations with depressive symptoms and anxiety at both between- and within-person levels throughout adolescence.
- Friend support demonstrated a buffering effect on the association between peer victimization and internalizing problems at the between-person level.
- Friend support did not buffer the within-person association between peer victimization and internalizing problems.
Conclusions:
- Peer victimization has a consistent negative impact on adolescent mental health, affecting both general levels and day-to-day experiences.
- Friend support offers some protection against peer victimization, primarily at a general (between-person) level.
- Further research is needed to understand how to best support adolescents' internal experiences of peer victimization and its impact on mental health.
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