Longitudinal relationship between child maltreatment, bullying victimization, depression, and nonsuicidal self-injury among left-behind children in China: 2-year follow-up

BACKGROUND

Left-behind childre (LBC) in China are deeply concerned by society because of their high risk of emotional and behavioral problems. Depression and nonsuicidal self-injury are the most harmful and worrying negative emotional and behavioral problems in LBC. Unfortunately, LBCs are in unfavorable environments for a long time and are prone to negative interpersonal interactions. Child maltreatment and bullying victimization, as the two most typical negative interpersonal interactions in family and school environments, maybe the key risk factors for depression and nonsuicidal self-injury among LBCs. However, we are less known of the longitudinal effects of child maltreatment and bullying victimization on LBC's depression and nonsuicidal self-injury and their underlying mechanisms.

AIMS

This study used a two-year longitudinal design with three-time points to investigate the longitudinal effects of child maltreatment and bullying victimization on depression, nonsuicidal self-injury, and the mediating role of negative thoughts and self-compassion.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A sample of 592 LBC (390 were males, Mage at time 1 = 9.56, SDage = 0.65; 202 were females, Mage at time 1 = 9.43, SDage = 0.63) completed a set of questionnaires at three-time points. This study used SPSS software (version 25.0) and MPLUS software (version 8.3) for all analyses.

RESULTS

(1) Child maltreatment not only affects depression and nonsuicidal self-injury but also affects depression and nonsuicidal self-injury through negative thoughts. Child maltreatment affects depression through self-compassion and does not affect nonsuicidal self-injury. (2) Bullying victimization affects depression and nonsuicidal self-injury through negative thoughts and bullying victimization further affects depression through self-compassion but does not affect nonsuicidal self-injury.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed the effects of negative interpersonal interactions (child maltreatment, bullying victimization) on LBC's adverse emotions and behaviors, and their underlying mechanisms, which helps to provide parents, schools, and psychoeducational workers with a new perspective on intervention.

Pathways from Polyvictimization to Offline and Online Sexual Harassment Victimization Among South Korean Adolescents

This study aimed to investigate the association between polyvictimization and offline and online sexual harassment and whether the association might be mediated by internalizing problems, low school satisfaction, and dropping out of school. The analytic sample was derived from the Children and Youth Rights Survey in South Korea. It consisted of 6353 adolescents' responses to the sexual harassment question and a set of other questions in the middle and high school questionnaires. The findings showed a direct association between polyvictimization and offline and online sexual harassment. Adolescents who were polyvictimized were more likely to be victims of both forms of sexual harassment. Furthermore, polyvictimization was positively related to dropping out of school, which was positively associated with offline sexual harassment. The findings from the study have significant implications for future research and practice.

Reciprocal associations between peer victimization and depressive symptoms among Chinese children and adolescents: Between- and within-person effects

Peer victimization is detrimental to child mental health. Research has indicated a reciprocal relationship between peer victimization and mental health problems. Yet limited evidence was from children and adolescents in China. The present study used the random intercepts cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to examine both between-person and within-person associations between peer victimization and depressive symptoms among Chinese children and adolescents. Participants were 1205 Chinese students (Mage  = 11.27 years; ranged from 9 to 15 years; SD = 1.75; 55% boys) who completed four surveys (Time 1 to Time 4) between 2017 and 2019 on demographics, peer victimization, and depressive symptoms. At the between-person level, peer victimization was positively associated with depressive symptoms. Controlling for between-person effects, RI-CLPM suggested positive within-person effects from peer victimization to depressive symptoms across adjacent waves. The model also suggested a positive within-person effect from Time 2 depressive symptoms to Time 3 peer victimization. The multi-group analysis showed that these effects did not differ by gender, age, or subjective socioeconomic status. Peer victimization and depression appear to be reciprocally related at the transitioning period between late childhood and early adolescence in Chinese students. Mental health interventions should attend to peer victimization for children and adolescents in China.

Reciprocal longitudinal relations between peer victimization and mobile phone addiction: The explanatory mechanism of adolescent depression

INTRODUCTION

Being victimized by peers has been shown to be associated with a range of adolescent problems, including mobile phone addiction (MPA). Although being victimized is assumed to lead to problem behavior, the reverse could also occur. In this longitudinal study we tested the reciprocal effects of victimization and MPA, taking into account the role of adolescent depression in these effects.

METHODS

The sample included 1987 adolescents from middle schools in Guangdong and Shandong Provinces, China (56.10% male; M_age at Wave 1 = 12.32). Three waves of questionnaire data were collected at half-year intervals during the transition from 7th to 8th grade. Cross-lagged models were adopted for data analysis.

RESULTS

Peer victimization at W1/W2 predicted MPA at W2/W3, and the inverse relation was also significant: MPA at W1/W2 positively predicted peer victimization at W2/W3. Furthermore, the bidirectional association between peer victimization and MPA was mediated by adolescent depression.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first longitudinal study on the relation between MPA and associated problems. Victimization by peers and MPA appear to have mutual influences over time that are explained in part by adolescent depression. The results have potential applied value for promoting adolescent adjustment.