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Peer victimization and depression among Hong Kong adolescents
Author(s) -
Cheng SheungTak,
Cheung Kelvin C. C.,
Cheung Chaukiu
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.20489
Subject(s) - psychology , peer victimization , depression (economics) , depressive symptoms , social support , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , injury prevention , suicide prevention , poison control , psychiatry , anxiety , social psychology , medicine , medical emergency , economics , macroeconomics
The present study examined the gender differences in the relationship between victimization and depression, as well as in the buffering effect of social support, in Hong Kong adolescents. Based on social role theory, we predicted (a) that victimization would be associated with higher depression in boys than in girls, and (b) that social support would have a stronger buffering effect in boys than in girls. Results showed that boys reported more victimizations than girls, and victimization was slightly more strongly associated with depressive symptoms in boys than in girls. Parental support had a direct effect on depression, but no buffering effect. A buffering effect was found for friend support, but only in boys; high support from friends was associated with fewer depressive symptoms at high levels of victimization. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 64:766–776, 2008.