Citation

Victoira L. P, Andrews JJW, Nordstokke D. Can. J. Sch. Psychol. 2021; 36(1): 9-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0829573520951041

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The central objective of the study was to investigate a moderated mediation model addressing social cognitive mechanisms that account for the association between peer victimization and anxiety. A sample of 81 youth (M age = 12.78, SD = 0.88) completed questionnaires assessing peer victimization, anxiety, social self-efficacy, and peer perceptions. Reports of peer victimization were associated with anxiety symptoms. Moreover, social self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between peer victimization and anxiety. Lastly, the perception of school peers moderated the mediation process between peer victimization and anxiety via social self-efficacy. These findings suggest that social contextual variables (e.g., peer victimization and perception of school peers) and negative self-evaluations (e.g., social self-efficacy) are risk factors for anxiety symptom severity in youth. Limitations and practical implications were discussed.

Language: en

Keywords

anxiety; peer victimization; self-evaluations; youth