The Effect of Peer Victimization on Prosocial Behavior; and the Mediating Role of Internalizing Behaviors Among Adolescents.

Peer relationships are essential during early adolescence when various psycho-social changes occur. More time is spent with peers during a phase wherein sensitivity to peer acceptance and rejection is heightened. Engaging in prosocial behavior is a way for adolescents to form positive peer relationships. However, peer victimization may negatively impact adolescents’ abilities to engage in such prosocial behaviors. This may be based on the degree of internalizing behaviors the adolescent engages in. This study aimed to understand whether there is an association between peer victimization and prosocial behavior two years later, as well as to understand whether internalizing behaviors mediate this relationship. This subproject of the Leiden Consortium on Individual Development (L-CID) used longitudinal data from 133 participants. Of these participants, there was a mean age of M = 11.26 years (SD = 0.73), with 54.1% being girls and 48.6% being boys. A mediation analysis investigated the...Show morePeer relationships are essential during early adolescence when various psycho-social changes occur. More time is spent with peers during a phase wherein sensitivity to peer acceptance and rejection is heightened. Engaging in prosocial behavior is a way for adolescents to form positive peer relationships. However, peer victimization may negatively impact adolescents’ abilities to engage in such prosocial behaviors. This may be based on the degree of internalizing behaviors the adolescent engages in. This study aimed to understand whether there is an association between peer victimization and prosocial behavior two years later, as well as to understand whether internalizing behaviors mediate this relationship. This subproject of the Leiden Consortium on Individual Development (L-CID) used longitudinal data from 133 participants. Of these participants, there was a mean age of M = 11.26 years (SD = 0.73), with 54.1% being girls and 48.6% being boys. A mediation analysis investigated the relationship between peer victimization at ages 10-12 years and prosocial behaviors two years later and the role of internalizing behaviors. Results found that peer victimization did not predict prosocial behavior. However, peer victimization was associated with an increase in internalizing behaviors, and internalizing was associated with a decrease in prosocial behavior, respectively. Thus, experiencing peer victimization puts an adolescent at risk for internalizing behaviors later in time. Additionally, adolescents with higher internalizing behaviors may show reduced prosocial behaviors. This implies that peer victimization may have long-term consequences on psychosocial functioning within a non-clinical Dutch sample.Show less

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The Effect of Peer Victimization on Prosocial Behavior; and the Mediating Role of Internalizing Behaviors Among Adolescents.