Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Protecting Youth Against the Adverse Effects of Peer Victimization: Why Do Parents Matter?

  • Published:
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Exposure to peer victimization is associated with a variety of adverse outcomes but there is individual variability in its effects, suggesting the need to identify why some youth are resilient in the face of victimization. This research examined whether (a) high-quality parent-child relationships protect youth against the effects of peer victimization on psychopathology (antisocial behavior and depressive symptoms); and (b) mitigation of social risks (deviant peer group affiliation and social helplessness) accounts for the protective effects of high-quality parent-child relationships. Youths (N = 636; 338 girls, 298 boys; Mage in 5th grade = 10.94; SD = 0.36) and their teachers completed survey measures at three annual waves across the transition to middle school (5th - 7th grade). Path analyses indicated that high-quality parent-child relationships attenuated the effects of pre-transition victimization on post-transition antisocial behavior, depressive symptoms, and social risks, with some effects differing by gender. As predicted, results suggested that the protective effect against antisocial behavior may operate through mitigated deviant peer group affiliation. This research identifies one key protective factor that contributes to resilience among victimized youth and suggests the importance of incorporating parental support into prevention programs for victimized youth.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abramson, L. Y., Alloy, L. B., & Metalsky, G. I. (1988). The cognitive diathesis-stress theories of depression: Toward an adequate evaluation of the theories’ validities. In L. B. Alloy (Ed.), Cognitive processes in depression (pp. 3–30). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M., & Rescorla, L. A. (2001). Manual for the ASEBA school-age forms & profiles. Burlington: University of Vermont.

    Google Scholar 

  • Angold, A., Costello, E. J., Messer, S. C., Pickles, A., Winder, F., & Silver, D. (1995). Development of a short questionnaire for use in epidemiological studies of depression in children and adolescents. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 5, 237–249.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armsden, G. C., & Greenberg, M. T. (1987). The inventory of parent and peer attachment: Individual differences and their relationship to psychological well-being in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 16, 427–454. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02202939.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bilsky, S. A., Cole, D. A., Dukewich, T. L., Martin, N. C., Sinclair, K. R., Tran, C. V., et al. (2013). Does supportive parenting mitigate the longitudinal effects of peer victimization on depressive thoughts and symptoms in children? Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 122, 406–419. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032501.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bowes, L., Maughan, B., Caspi, A., Moffitt, T. E., & Arseneault, L. (2010). Families promote emotional and behavioural resilience to bullying: Evidence of an environmental effect. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 51, 809–817. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02216.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buist, K. L., Dekovic, M., Meeus, W., & van Aken, M. A. G. (2004). The reciprocal relationship between early adolescent attachment and internalizing and externalizing problem behavior. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 251–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2003.11.012.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Caspi, A., Elder, G. H., & Bem, D. J. (1987). Moving against the world: Life-course patterns of explosive children. Developmental Psychology, 23, 824–831.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caspi, A., Elder, G. H., & Bem, D. J. (1988). Moving away from the world: Life-course patterns of shy children. Developmental Psychology, 23, 308–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crick, N. R. (1996). The role of overt aggression, relational aggression, and prosocial behavior in the prediction of children’s future social adjustment. Child Development, 67, 2317–2327. https://doi.org/10.2307/1131625.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crick, N. R., & Grotpeter, J. K. (1996). Children's treatment by peers: Victims of relational and overt aggression. Development and Psychopathology, 8, 367–380. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579400007148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, L. M., & Demaray, M. K. (2007). Social support as a moderator between victimization and internalizing-externalizing distress from bullying. School Psychology Review, 36, 383–405.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Vries, S. L., Hoeve, M., Stams, G. J., & Asscher, J. J. (2016). Adolescent-parent attachment and externalizing behavior: The mediating role of individual and social factors. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44, 283–294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-015-9999-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Desjardins, T. L., & Leadbeater, B. J. (2011). Relational victimization and depressive symptoms in adolescence: Moderating effects of mother, father, and peer emotional support. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40, 531–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-010-9562-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dishion, T. J. (2000). Cross-setting consistency in early adolescent psychopathology: Deviant friendships and problem behavior sequelae. Journal of Personality, 68, 1109–1126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dishion, T. J. (2014). A developmental model of aggression and violence: Microsocial and macrosocial dynamics within an ecological framework. In M. Lewis & K. D. Rudolph (Eds.), Handbook of developmental psychopathology (3rd ed., pp. 449–465). New York: Plenum.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Dishion, T. J., Patterson, G. R., Stoolmiller, M., & Skinner, M. L. (1991). Family, school, and behavioral antecedents to early adolescent involvement with antisocial peers. Developmental Psychology, 27, 172–180. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.27.1.172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enders, C. K., & Bandalos, D. L. (2001). The relative performance of full information maximum likelihood estimation for missing data in structural equation models. Structural Equation Modeling, 8, 430–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galambos, N. L., Barker, E. T., & Almeida, D. M. (2003). Parents do matter: Trajectories of change in externalizing and internalizing problems in early adolescence. Child Development, 74, 578–594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanish, L. D., & Guerra, N. G. (2000). The roles of ethnicity and school context in predicting children’s victimization by peers. American Journal of Community Psychology, 28, 201–223. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005187201519.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hanish, L. D., & Guerra, N. G. (2002). A longitudinal analysis of patterns of adjustment following peer victimization. Development and Psychopathology, 14(1), 69–89.

  • Hayes, A. F. (2017). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach (2nd Edition). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoff, A. A., Laursen, B., & Tardif, T. (2002). Socioeconomic status and parenting. In M. H. Bornstein (Ed.), Handbook of parenting (pp. 231–252). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klostermann, S., Connell, A., & Stormshak, E. A. (2016). Gender differences in the developmental links between conduct problems and depression across early adolescence. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 26, 76–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ladd, G. W., & Kochenderfer-Ladd, B. (2002). Identifying victims of peer aggression from early to middle childhood: Analysis of cross informant data for concordance, estimation of relational adjustment, prevalence of victimization, and characteristics of identified victims. Psychological Assessment, 14, 74–96. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.14.1.74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laird, R. D., Jordan, K. Y., Dodge, K. A., Pettit, G. S., & Bates, J. E. (2001). Peer rejection in childhood, involvement with antisocial peers in early adolescence, and the development of externalizing behavior problems. Development and Psychopathology, 13, 337–354. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579401002085.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, A., Hankin, B. L., & Mermelstein, R. J. (2010). Perceived social competence, negative social interactions, and negative cognitive style predict depressive symptoms during adolescence. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 39, 603–615. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2010.501284.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Liang, H., & Eley, T. C. (2005). A monozygotic twin differences study of nonshared environmental influence on adolescent depressive symptoms. Child Development, 76, 1247–1260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLaughlin, K. A., Hilt, L. M., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2007). Racial/ethnic differences in internalizing and externalizing symptoms in adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 801–816. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-007-9128-1.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, T. E. (2001). Sex differences in antisocial behaviour: Conduct disorder, delinquency, and violence in the Dunedin longitudinal study. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mounts, N. S. (2002). Parental management of adolescent peer relationships in context: The role of parenting style. Journal of Family Psychology, 16, 58–69. https://doi.org/10.1037//0893-3200.16.1.58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (1998–2017). Mplus user’s guide. Los Angeles: Authors.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Girgus, J. S., & Seligman, M. E. P. (1992). Predictors and consequences of childhood depressive symptoms: A 5-year longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 101, 405–422. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.101.3.405.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Stice, E., Wade, E., & Bohon, C. (2007). Reciprocal relations between rumination and bulimic, substance abuse, and depressive symptoms in adolescent females. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 116, 198–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padilla-Walker, L., Bean, R. A., & Hsieh, A. L. (2011). The role of parenting and personal characteristics on deviant peer association among European American and Latino adolescents. Children and Youth Services Review, 33, 2034–2042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.05.034.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papafratzeskakou, E., Kim, J., Longo, G. S., & Riser, D. K. (2011). Peer victimization and depressive symptoms: Role of peers and parent-child relationship. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, & Trauma, 20, 784–799. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2011.608220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini, A. D. (2002). Bullying, victimization, and sexual harassment during the transition to middle school. Educational Psychologist, 37, 151–163. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3703_2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prinstein, M. J., Boergers, J., & Spirito, A. (2001). Adolescents’ and their friends’ health-risk behavior: Factors that alter or add to peer influence. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 26, 287–298. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/26.5.287.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reijntjes, A., Kamphuis, J. H., Prinzie, P., & Telch, M. J. (2010). Peer victimization and internalizing problems in children: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Child Abuse and Neglect, 34, 244–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2009.07.009.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reijntjes, A., Kamphuis, J. H., Prinzie, P., Boelen, P. A., van der Schoot, M., & Telch, M. J. (2011). Prospective linkages between peer victimization and externalizing problems in children: A meta-analysis. Aggressive Behavior, 37, 215–222. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.20374.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, K. H., Dwyer, K. M., Booth-LaForce, C., Kim, A. H., Burgess, K. B., & Rose-Krasnor, L. (2004). Attachment, friendship, and psychosocial functioning in early adolescence. Journal of Early Adolescence, 24, 326–356. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431604268530.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rudolph, K. D. (2009). Adolescent depression. In I. H. Gotlib & C. L. Hammen (Eds.), Handbook of depression (2nd ed., pp. 444–466). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rudolph, K. D., Kurlakowsky, K. D., & Conley, C. (2001). Developmental and social-contextual origins of depressive control-related beliefs and behavior. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 25, 447–475. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005538704056.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rudolph, K. D., Troop-Gordon, W., Hessel, E. T., & Schmidt, J. D. (2011). A latent growth curve analysis of early and increasing peer victimization as predictors of mental health across elementary school. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 40, 111–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2011.533413.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rudolph, K. D., Lansford, J. E., Agoston, A. M., Sugimura, N., Schwartz, D., Dodge, K. A., et al. (2014a). Peer victimization and social alienation: Predicting peer affiliation in middle school. Child Development, 85, 124–139. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12112.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rudolph, K. D., Troop-Gordon, W., Monti, J. D., & Miernicki, M. M. (2014b). Moving against and away from the world: The adolescent legacy of peer victimization. Development and Psychopathology, 26, 721–734. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579414000340.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rusby, J. C., Forrester, K. K., Biglan, A., & Metzler, C. W. (2005). Relationships between peer harassment and adolescent problem behaviors. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 25, 453–477.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smetana, J. G., Villalobos, M., Tasopoulos-Chan, M., Gettman, D. C., & Campione-Barr, N. (2009). Early and middle adolescents’ disclosure to parents about activities in different domains. Journal of Adolescence, 32, 693–713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2008.06.010.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, L., & Silverberg, S. B. (1986). The vicissitudes of autonomy in early adolescence. Child Development, 57, 841–851. https://doi.org/10.2307/1130361.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tanigawa, D., Furlong, M. J., Felix, E. D., & Sharkey, J. D. (2011). The protective role of perceived social support against the manifestation of depressive symptoms in peer victims. Journal of School Violence, 10, 393–412. https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2011.602614.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Troop-Gordon, W., & Ladd, G. W. (2005). Trajectories of peer victimization and perceptions of the self and schoolmates: Precursors to internalizing and externalizing problems. Child Development, 76, 1072–1091. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2005.00898.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Troop-Gordon, W., Rudolph, K. D., Sugimura, N., & Little, T. (2015). Peer victimization in middle childhood impedes adaptive responses to stress: A pathway to depressive symptoms. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 44, 432–445.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, G. S., & McLoyd, V. C. (2015). Do parenting and family characteristics moderate the relation between peer victimization and antisocial behavior? A 5-year longitudinal study. Social Development, 24, 748–765.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeung Thompson, R. S., & Leadbeater, B. J. (2013). Peer victimization and internalizing symptoms from adolescence into young adulthood: Building strength through emotional support. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 23, 290–303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zwierzynska, K., Wolke, D., & Lereya, T. S. (2013). Peer victimization in childhood and internalizing problems in adolescence: A prospective longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 41, 309–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the families and schools who participated in this study. We are grateful to Jamie Abaied, Monica Agoston, Hannah Banagale, Megan Flynn, Ellie Hessel, Nicole Llewellyn, Michelle Miernicki, Jo Pauly, Jennifer Monti, and Niwako Sugimura for their assistance in data collection and management. This research was funded by a University of Illinois Arnold O. Beckman Award and National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH68444 awarded to Karen D. Rudolph.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 603 E. Daniel St., Champaign, IL, 61820, USA

    Karen D. Rudolph, Haina Modi & Wing Yan Sze

  2. American Academy of Pediatrics, 345 Park Boulevard, Itasca, IL, 60143, USA

    Jennifer D. Monti

  3. Auburn University, 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    Wendy Troop-Gordon

Authors
  1. Karen D. Rudolph
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jennifer D. Monti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Haina Modi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Wing Yan Sze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wendy Troop-Gordon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen D. Rudolph.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to report.

Ethical Approval

This research was approved by the University of Illinois Institutional Review Board.

Informed consent

Parents provided written consent and adolescents provided oral or written assent.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rudolph, K.D., Monti, J.D., Modi, H. et al. Protecting Youth Against the Adverse Effects of Peer Victimization: Why Do Parents Matter?. J Abnorm Child Psychol 48, 163–176 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-019-00576-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-019-00576-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation