Longitudinal associations between traditional and cyberbullying victimization and depressive symptoms among young Chinese: A mediation analysis

Abstract

Background: The impacts of bullying victimization on psychological health are long-lasting. However, the longitudinal mediating processes of the association between being bullied (traditionally and in a cyber context) and depressive symptoms of Chinese youth remain underexplored, including across the sexes.

Objective: This study investigated the longitudinal association between bullying victimization and depressive symptoms, including the mediating effects of physical health, healthy lifestyles, sleep quality, and academic achievements. Different pathways from traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization regarding depressive symptoms were also explored, with a comparison across the sexes.

Participants and setting: Data were obtained from the China Education Panel Survey, and ninth graders aged approximately 15 years constituted the baseline cohort.

Methods: The baseline data and longitudinal data at two- and five-year follow-ups, respectively, were evaluated to estimate structural equation models.

Results: Baseline traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization significantly predicted subsequent depressive symptoms at both follow-ups (P < 0.001). Being bullied also predicted worse healthy lifestyles, poorer sleep quality, and lower academic achievements (P < 0.05), all significantly correlated with the development of depressive symptoms (P < 0.001) regarding both bullying victimizations. Physical health was the mediator of the traditional bullying victimization-depressive symptoms linkage (P < 0.05). Female victims have a relatively higher risk of depression versus male victims, with different mediating pathways from victimization to depressive symptoms.

Conclusions: Our findings strengthen the evidence of a longitudinal association between bullying victimization and depressive symptoms, provide new explanations for mechanisms of mediation, and highlight the importance of long-term comprehensive mental health interventions for victims of bullying.

Keywords: Cyberbullying victimization; Depressive symptoms; Longitudinal association; Sex differences; Structural equation model; Traditional bullying victimization.