Social Support as a Moderator Between Victimization and Internalizing–Externalizing Distress From Bullying

Abstract

Although it is important to study the negative outcomes experienced by victims of bullying, it is equally important to study the factors that may buffer victims from distress. Thus, the relationship among social support, victimization, and internalizing-externalizing distress from bullying was investigated. Participants were 355 middle school students who completed the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (Malecki, Demaray, & Elliott, 2000) and scales from the Reynolds Bully-Victimization Scales for Schools (Reynolds, 2003). Teacher, classmate, and school support for males and parent support for females moderated the relationship between victimization and internalizing distress from bullying. Close friend support for females moderated the relationship between victimization and externalizing distress from bullying, however, in a direction opposite to that predicted. Results indicate that social support may play a buffering role between victimization and internalizing distress from bullying.