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Mechanisms Through Which Supportive Relationships with Parents and Peers Mitigate Victimization, Depression and Internalizing Problems in Children Bullied by Peers

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Abstract

This study investigated how supportive relationships with peers and parents protect children against ongoing victimization, internalizing problems and depression. The longitudinal data set tracked progress of 111 children recruited for the trial of Resilience Triple P, and previously bullied by peers. Informants included children, parents and teachers. Higher levels of facilitative parenting (warm parenting that supports peer relationships) and peer acceptance predicted lower later levels of both depression and victimization over time. Higher levels of child friendedness predicted lower levels of child reports of internalizing problems. Children’s friendships, acceptance by same sex peers and facilitative parenting all played moderating roles in protecting against ongoing victimization and internalizing problems. Peer acceptance mediated the relationships between facilitative parenting and victimization. Facilitative parenting mediated the relationship between peer acceptance and depression. It was concluded that supportive relationships with parents and peers play important and complementary roles in protecting children against ongoing victimization and depression.

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Acknowledgements

Thank you to the children and families who participated in the RCT of Resilience Triple P, which provided the data base for this study, and for funding by the Australian Research Council, supplemented by philanthropic donations by the Butta and Filewood families. We thank Dr. Michael Ireland and Dr. Jamin Day for statistical advice. The Parenting and Family Support Centre is partly funded by royalties stemming from published resources of the Triple P—Positive Parenting Program, which is developed and owned by The University of Queensland (UQ). Royalties are also distributed to the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences at UQ and contributory authors of published Triple P resources. Triple P International (TPI) Pty Ltd is a private company licensed by Uniquest Pty Ltd on behalf of UQ, to publish and disseminate Triple P worldwide.

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  1. Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    K. L. Healy & M. R. Sanders

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  1. K. L. Healy
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Correspondence to K. L. Healy.

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The authors of this paper have no share or ownership of TPI. The authors of this paper, Drs Healy and Sanders are both contributory authors of Resilience Triple P and may in future receive royalties from TPI and/or consultancy fees from TPI. TPI had no involvement in the study design, collection, analysis or interpretation of data, or writing of this report. Drs Healy and Sanders are employees at UQ.

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Healy, K.L., Sanders, M.R. Mechanisms Through Which Supportive Relationships with Parents and Peers Mitigate Victimization, Depression and Internalizing Problems in Children Bullied by Peers. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 49, 800–813 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-018-0793-9

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