The Impact of Belief in a Just World on the Association between Developmental Trajectories of Peer Victimization and Depressive Symptoms
摘要
Investigating developmental trajectories of peer victimization in adolescents with multi-informant reports, and elucidating the moderating effects of personal belief in a just world (PBJW) and general belief in a just world (GBJW) in the longitudinal association between different developmental trajectories and depressive symptoms. Participants were 2451 adolescents completed four self- and peer-reported victimization surveys at six-month intervals, reported belief in a just world at T1 and depressive symptoms at T4. Latent class growth analysis (LCGA) and moderating effects analysis were conducted. There were four self-reported victimization trajectories (low 75.7%, high 5.2%, decreasing 11.6%, increasing 7.5%) and five peer-reported victimization trajectories (low 63.0%, high 6.0%, moderate 19.2%, increasing 4.9%, decreasing 6.9%) during the adolescent transition period. GBJW exacerbated depressive symptoms in the “increasing self-report victimization” and “high peer-report victimization” subgroups; PBJW alleviated depressive symptoms in the “moderate peer-report victimization” subgroup. For adolescents in transition, self- and peer-reported victimization show stability and fluctuation. The roles of PBJW and GBJW in the longitudinal association between peer victimization and depressive symptoms depend on the severity of the victimization situation.