Moderating role of conflict resolution strategies in the links between peer victimization and psychological adjustment among youth

INTRODUCTION: Victims of peer victimization are likely to develop psychological adjustment difficulties. The primary goal of the present study was to examine the moderating effects of conflict resolution strategies (solution-orientation, control, nonconfrontation) on the relations between peer victimization and psychological problems (depressive symptoms, loneliness) in Chinese early adolescents using a cross-sectional design. METHODS: Participants included 569 children (298 boys) in fifth grade (M = 11.75 years, SD = 0.40) in urban China. Peer victimization, conflict resolution strategies, depressive symptoms, and loneliness were measured through self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: Peer victimization was positively related to depressive symptoms and loneliness. The relations between peer victimization and psychological problems were moderated by adolescents' solution-oriented and nonconfrontational strategies. Specifically, the relations between peer victimization and psychological problems, including depressive symptoms and loneliness, were attenuated by solution-orientation strategy. In addition, victimized youth who used nonconfrontation strategy were more prone to suffer from loneliness. Gender was also found to moderate these associations. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that solution-oriented conflict resolution strategy may protect victimized adolescents from developing loneliness and depressive symptoms and nonconfrontation conflict strategy may exacerbate feelings of loneliness of victimized adolescents. Intervention programs should consider helping victimized youth use more solution-oriented strategies and less nonconfrontational strategies.