What Explains Correlates of Peer Victimization? A Systematic Review of Mediating Factors
Adolescent Res Rev
What Explains Correlates of Peer Victimization? A Systematic Review of Mediating Factors
Tina Kretschmer 0 1
0 Department of Pedagogy and Educational Science, University of Groningen , Grote Rozenstraat 38, 9712 TJ Groningen , The Netherlands
1 & Tina Kretschmer
Being accepted by peers is central to health and wellbeing among adolescents whereas being the subject of peer/bullying-victimization can be perceived as significant interpersonal stress, resulting in compromised adjustment concurrently and long-term. Unfortunately, little is known about mechanisms that explain why peer victimization goes ''under the skin''. This systematic review aims to summarize the research on mediating pathways. A total of 65 articles were selected that explicitly examined mediation of associations between peer victimization in adolescence and concurrent and later outcomes. Most studies were based on North American and European samples and focused on internalizing or school-related outcomes. Mediation appears to be more stable by emotional states and symptoms than self-perceptions and attributions but results vary by outcome. Limitations concern the crosssectional design of most studies, geographic restriction, and widespread use of self-reports for assessments of exposure, mediator, and outcome.
Peer victimization; Mediation; Internalizing; Externalizing; Academic; Systematic review
Introduction
Researchers interested in adolescent development have
paid sustained attention to the role of peers and the quality
of adolescents’ peer relationships. This is natural given that
adolescents spend more time with age-mates than parents,
both in school and in leisure activities
(Larson and
Richards 1991; Zeijl et al. 2000)
, peers are highly salient
models for desirable (Fitzgerald et al. 2012) and
undesirable behaviors
(Fortuin et al. 2015)
, and peer groups
provide contexts where more intimate friendships and first
romantic experiences are established. Moreover,
adolescence is a sensitive period for processing and handling
social interactions
(Blakemore and Mills 2014)
and peers
play a particularly influential role for emotional, social,
academic, and behavioral development
(Brown and Larson
2009; Steinberg and Monahan 2007; Steinberg and Morris
2001)
. Not surprisingly, problems in peer relationships are
often linked to maladjustment and compromised
well-being, both concurrently and over time. While there is little
doubt that adolescents’ peer relationships are important for
later development, little systematic information is available
concerning the mechanisms that explain why peer
experiences go ‘‘under the skin’’ and ‘‘into the mind’’. This is
unfortunate because this information is needed in order to
be able to prevent potentially negative consequences of
peer problems.
Like other forms of interpersonal difficulties such as
divorce, workplace mobbing, or family conflict, peer
problems can be a significant source of stress, broadly
defined as ‘‘environmental demands [that] tax or exceed the
adaptive capacity of an organism, resulting in
psychological and biological changes that may place persons at risk
for disease’’
(Cohen et al. 1995, p. 3)
. Peer problems
originate in interactions between individuals and the peer
group and are distinct from friendship problems, which
occur in the dyadic relationship between two individuals.
Talking to the friend and trying to come to a mutually
satisfying solution are common strategies to handle
friendship problems in adolescence whereas peer problems
tend to be associated with anger, avoidance, and
withdrawal
(Seiffge-Krenke 2011)
. Thus, distinguishing
between friendship and peer stress is necessary. The
present review focuses on peer victimization, which
constitutes not only a common problem among adolescents but
also a central topic in research on peer-related precursor of
development.
Peer victimization is defined as intentional and repeated
infliction of harm on a person by one or more peers that are
usually more powerful in some regard, with studies
reporting prevalence rates of up to 45 % of adolescents
having experienced peer victimization
(e.g., Craig et al.
2009)
. Several reviews support the notion that victims of
bullying fare worse in terms of emotional
(Ttofi et al. 2011;
Wu et al. 2015)
and psychosocial adjustment
(Hawker and
Boulton 2000)
, are more likely to develop psychotic
(van
Dam et al. 2012)
, psychosomatic
(Gini and Pozzoli 2009)
,
and externalizing problems
(Reijntjes et al. 2011)
, are at
greater risk for suicidal ideation and behaviors
(Holt et al.
2015; van Geel et al. 2014)
, and perform less well
academically (Nakamoto and Schwartz 2010). Why is this the
case? Which processes are at play?
The Current Study
The central aim of this review is to contribute to a more
systematic understanding of why peer victimization is linked
to problems in emotional, social, academic, and behavioral
development by synthesizing st (...truncated)