The role of core self-evaluation between peer victimization and depression: A longitudinal multilevel moderated mediation model and the healthy context paradox in Chinese adolescents.

Background: According to the healthy context paradox, the negative effects of peer victimization on core self-evaluation and depressive symptoms may vary in different levels of classroom-level victimization. However, previous studies have not investigated this issue using a longitudinal study design.

Objective: The present study used a longitudinal design to examine why and under what conditions peer victimization was associated with adolescents' depressive symptoms.

Method: A large number of Chinese adolescents (Time 1: N = 4164, 50.3 % girls, M = 12.89, SD = 0.77; Time 2: N = 4001, 50.4 % girls, M = 14.39, SD = 0.75) were followed for one and a half years.

Results: Results showed that adolescents who were victimized in healthy contexts were more depressed and were at an increased risk of reporting more negative core self-evaluation than those victimized in unhealthy contexts. Moreover, core self-evaluation served as a mediator between peer victimization and depressive symptoms.

Limitations: This study included two waves of data, which limited the exploration of dynamic relationships between peer victimization and depressive symptoms. In addition, the self-reported data weakened the objectivity of the results. Finally, this study neglected the effects of different dimensions of peer victimization on depressive symptoms.

Conclusions: The healthy context paradox of peer victimization is identified in China, highlighting that future interventions of peer victimization should pay more attention to specific remaining victimized and self-devaluing individuals in healthy contexts.