Relationship Between Peer Victimization and School Adjustment in Sixth-Grade Students: Investigating Mediation Effects

Abstract

Peer victimization is a common occurrence in school settings. This study investigated the relationship between peer victimization and school adjustment in a sample of 1,022 sixth-grade students. Measures used in this study include peer victimization, perceived peer nonsupport, school attachment, inattention problems, and academic achievement. Multivariate path analyses were conducted to test direct and mediation effects in the overall model and to explore gender differences. The results provided support for the hypothesized model indicating that the relationship between peer victimization and school attachment is mediated by perceived peer nonsupport, and that school attachment is related to inattentive school behaviors and poor academic achievement. Paths indicated invariance across models for gender. Prevention and intervention implications of these findings are discussed.