Peer victimization, depression, conflict with teachers, and life satisfaction : a moderated mediation model based on Hong Kong children

Abstract

Peer victimization is prevalent among school-age children worldwide, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. Previous studies have identified the negative consequences of peer victimization for children, but few studies have examined the mediation mechanisms involved in the predictive relationship between peer victimization and life satisfaction. This study explored the predictive effect of peer victimization on children’s life satisfaction by considering depression as a mediator, and teacher-student conflict as a moderator in the predictive relationship between peer victimization and depression among 1,144 children at Grade 6 (mean age = 11.43 years, SD = 0.61, 44.3% females) from 16 Hong Kong primary schools. Results demonstrated that peer victimization was positively associated with children’s depression and teacher-student conflict, and it negatively predicted their life satisfaction. Depression partially mediated the relationship between children’s peer victimization and life satisfaction, and teacher-student conflict moderated the association between peer victimization and depression as predicted. The present study contributes to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in the predictive relationship between peer victimization and life satisfaction in children with depression serving as a mediator and teacher-student conflict as a moderator in the relationship between peer victimization and depression.