Bullying victimization and adolescent mental health: the mediating roles of parent-child relationship and self-esteem

BACKGROUND: Experiences of school bullying and cyberbullying have been correlated with mental health problems in adolescents, highlighting the need to identify underlying mechanisms that may mitigate these adverse effects. This study extends prior research by examining the associations between bullying victimization and adolescent mental health, focusing on the mediating roles of parent-child relationships and self-esteem within the Chinese context. METHODS: A multistage cluster sampling method was used. A total of 7540 Chinese adolescents in grades 7 to 12, age range 12 to 19 (36.8% from Zhejiang, 33.3% from Anhui and 29.9% from Qinghai province) completed questionnaires on bullying victimization, parent-child relationships, self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Pearson's chi-square tests, Spearman's rank correlations, and multiple mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS. RESULTS: After controlling for sociodemographic variables, school bullying and cyberbullying victimization were significantly associated with increased anxiety and depression. Mediation analyses revealed that parent-child relationships and self-esteem independently and jointly mediated the relationship between bullying victimization and mental health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Parent-child relationships and self-esteem are key mediating factors in the relationship between bullying victimization and mental health among adolescents. The findings underscore the importance of integrated interventions that enhance both self-esteem and improve family dynamics to mitigate the psychological impacts of bullying.