Exploring the Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Associated With Bullying Victimization: The Intersection of Gender and Family Support

IntroductionChildren from multicultural families in South Korea are at high risk of bullying victimization, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of the challenges they face. This study explores the gendered dynamics of depressive symptoms associated with persistent exposure to bullying victimization among these youths, as well as the role of family support.MethodsThis study utilizes data from nine waves of the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS), spanning from 2011 (Wave 1) to 2019 (Wave 9). MAPS is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of adolescents with multicultural backgrounds and their mothers. Participants include 1375 families (51.1% girls; grade 4-13). Fixed-effects models were estimated to address the possibility of bias due to unobserved time-invariant confounders. Gender-stratified analyses and interaction models were employed to examine the moderating role of gender and family support.ResultsDepressive symptoms among girls were higher with persistent bullying victimization; however, this association was observed up to two consecutive waves of exposure (an immediate and short-term pattern). In contrast, persistent bullying victimization was associated with a cumulative increase in depressive symptoms up to three or more consecutive waves of exposure in boys (an immediate and cumulative pattern). Moreover, while family support was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms among bullied girls, bullied boys exhibited a similar pattern of a cumulative increase in depressive symptoms regardless of the level of family support.ConclusionThe study's findings suggest potential considerations for gendered interventions related to mental health outcomes of bullying victimization among multicultural family youth in Korea.