The Mediating Role of Resilience and Self-Esteem in Depression and Anxiety Among Bullied Secondary School Students in Thailand
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Abstract
Objective: This study examined the relationship between school bullying, depression and anxiety in Thai junior high school students, with resilience and self-esteem as mediators.
Methods: A cross-sectional study surveyed 560 students from secondary schools in Chonburi, Thailand, using Thai-language questionnaires in June 2024. Instruments included the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A), the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Multidimensional Peer-Victimization Scale (MPVS). Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation and bootstrapping to examine mediating effects of resilience and self-esteem.
Results: Among 505 participants with a mean age of 13.24 ± 0.95 years, 28.9% exhibited moderate to severe depression, and 54.1% experienced anxiety. School bullying had a direct effect on depression (β = .137, [.098, .176]) and anxiety (β = .429, [.305, .554]), as well as indirect effect on depression (β = .053, [.028, .080]) and anxiety (β = .121, [.062, .189]) mediated by self-esteem. Resilience was not found to be a mediating variable.
Conclusion: School bullying has both direct and indirect effects on depression and anxiety in junior high school students through self-esteem. Therefore, preventing bullying and promoting self-esteem can help prevent long-term mental health issues.
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