Peer Victimization Among Chinese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Validation Study

Abstract

Peer victimization is a social problem for children and adolescents worldwide. This study examined the factor structure of peer victimization in relation to school life among Chinese adolescent students. The Multidimensional Peer-Victimization Scale (MPVS) was used to measure this phenomenon. We examined psychometric properties such as factor structure, factorial invariance across genders, area types (urban vs. rural), and time (Time 1 vs. Time 2), nomological network validity in relation to the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and internal consistency reliability of the MPVS in Chinese culture. We analyzed the results of a survey of 2,764 adolescents from six public secondary schools in Fujian Province, China; 50.8% of these participants were female, and their mean age was 13.967 years (SD =.843). Of these participants, 2,217 (51.2% female), with a mean age of 13.839 years (SD =.802), also completed the survey at Time 2. Fourfactor models were tested: a null model, a one-factor model, the hypothesized four-factor model, and a hierarchical model. The results revealed that the four-factor model exhibited the best fit and demonstrated factorial invariance across genders, area types, and time points. Future directions for research among Chinese adolescents were also discussed.