ERIC Number: EJ940096
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Nov
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0261-510X
EISSN: N/A
Avoidant Coping as a Mediator between Appearance-Related Victimization and Self-Esteem in Young Australian Adolescents
Lodge, J.; Feldman, S. S.
British Journal of Developmental Psychology, v25 n4 p633-642 Nov 2007
Peer victimization, especially appearance-related bullying, is a highly stressful experience for a young person and is associated with significant negative outcomes. Perhaps, the most common consequence of peer victimization in adolescence is lowered self-esteem. Evidence supports the role of low self-esteem as a non-specific risk factor and high self-esteem as a protective factor in the development of mental disorders and social problems in adolescence. Moreover, the literature indicates a robust negative relationship between avoidant coping (i.e. distracting oneself, wishing the situation would go away) and psychological well-being. In this paper, we test a mediational model of the associations between appearance-related victimization, avoidance coping and self-esteem in young Australian adolescents. Boys (N = 194) and girls (N = 185) with a mean age of 11 years completed measures assessing self-esteem, appearance-related victimization and styles of coping. The results showed that avoidant coping partially mediates the association between appearance-related bullying problems and self-esteem among young adolescents. This finding provides a specific target for psychosocial interventions in schools.
Descriptors: Bullying, Mental Disorders, Risk, Adolescents, Coping, Victims, Interpersonal Attraction, Stress Variables, Self Esteem, Role, Well Being, Correlation, Foreign Countries, Measures (Individuals), Intervention
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A