Poster #98 - Peer and Cultural Value Considerations for depression of Relationally Victimized Chinese Adolescents

• In Event: Poster Session 13

Abstract

Bullying is an issue that impacts many adolescents throughout the globe. In China, approximately 12.9% of 13-15 year olds had been a victim of some form of bullying at school (Chudal et al., 2021). In Chinese schools, bullying is often linked to social exclusion as bullying performed by collectivistic children may act as a method of enforcing group norms (Chan & Wong, 2015). Victimization has been found to be linked to poor self-esteem, feelings of isolation, and an increased risk for depression and neuroticism (Chang et al., 2011, Chan & Wong, 2015). Peer social support may mediate the effect of victimization on negative psychological consequences, suggesting that for Chinese adolescents, peer acceptance may play an important role for the adjustment of victims (Chen & Wei, 2013). There has been limited research investigating the impact of cultural value endorsement on bullying victimization and adjustment. Social harmony has been found to be related to less aggression, but adolescents high in social harmony endorsement may be particularly impacted by victimization due to their desire to maintain a positive relationship among their peers. The current study aims to investigate harmony and likeability as moderators for the association between victimization and depression.
This longitudinal study sampled 229 Chinese 7th and 8th graders from a school in Guangzhou, China. Participants responded to questionnaires on relational victimization (Crick & Bigbee, 1998), endorsement of social harmony (Shuster, Li, & Shi 2012), and depression (Barber, Stolz, & Olsen. 2005), and nominated a liked peer.
Regression analysis suggested harmony significantly moderated the relationship between relational victimization and depression (b = .15, p = 00). As harmony increased, the effect of relational victimization on depression increased (See Figure 1). Similarly, harmony also moderated the relationship between overt victimization and depression (b =.1580, p = .01). As harmony increased, the effect increased (See Figure 2). Although the effect is not significant for the high and mean harmony groups, for the low harmony group, the effect was negative (b = -.1032, p = .01). Additionally, harmony moderated the relationship between peer-nominated overt victimization and depression (b = .0985, p = .00). In general as harmony increased, the effect also became greater (See Figure 3), although the simple slopes were not statistically significant.
Likeability in general alleviated the negative impact of self-report relational victimization on depression (See Figure 4). Specifically, as likeability increased, the effect of relational victimization on depression decreased. Although there is no significant three-way interaction, the graph (See Figure 5) suggests that for the high harmony group, being less liked significantly predicted a greater effect of relational victimization on depression since the slope is steeper compared to that of more liked students. In comparison, for the less harmonious group, being less liked did not seem to predict a greater effect of relational victimization on depression. Overall, the results suggest that peer liking is a protective factor for relationally victimized adolescents, but social harmony may be a risk factor for victimized adolescents.

Authors

• Lily Xiao, DePaul University
  Presenting Author

• Yan Li