Parental warmth buffers against the effect of childhood bullying victimization on internalizing symptoms / 中国学校卫生

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To investigate the longitudinal association between peer bullying victimization and internalizing symptoms, and to examine whether parental warmth buffers against this effect,so as to provide a reference for improving the mental health of the special group of children.@*Methods@#Students in grade 4 and grade 5 from three primary schools in Ma’anshan, Anhui Province were selected in Oct. 2017 with informed consent. Height, weight and pubertal development were objectively assessed. Internalizing symptoms and peer bullying victimization were evaluated at baseline and 1-year follow-up by using the MacArthur Health and Behavior Questionnaire-Child. Children were classified into three groups as non-bullying, non-consistent and consistent bullying victimization group. Multiple linear regression model was used to analyze whether the association between peer bullying victimization and internalizing symptoms varied across different parental warmth groups.@*Results@#Compared with non-bullying victimization group, consistent-and non-consistent bullying victimization had higher internalizing symptoms at baseline and 1-year follow-up(P<0.01). Students reported consistent, non-consistent bullying victimization under moderate parental warmth had lower internalizing symptoms at baseline and 1-year follow-up than those reported under low parental warmth group(P<0.01). Multiple liner regression showed that consistent bullying victimization [β=0.66(95%CI=0.33-0.99), 0.37(95%CI=0.15-0.59), 0.58(95%CI=0.31-0.84), P<0.05] and non-consistent bullying victimization[β=0.33(95%CI=0.18-0.47), 0.28(95%CI=0.13-0.41), 0.29(95%CI=0.08-0.51),P<0.05] were associated with higher 1-year follow-up internalizing symptoms in non-consistent, moderate-and low parental warmth group, while such association was not observed in consistent parental warmth group.@*Abstract@#The experience of peer bullying victimization increases the risk of internalizing symptoms and this finding suggests that parental warmth help to buffer children from the internalizing symptoms associated with bullying victimization.