Is Peer Victimization Associated with Higher Online Trolling among Adolescents?The Mediation of Hostile Attribution Bias and the Moderation of Trait Mindfulness

Background:In recent years,online trolling has garnered significant attention due to its detrimental effects on mental health and social well-being.The current study examined the influence of peer victimization on adolescent online trolling behavior,proposing that hostile attribution bias mediated this relationship and that trait mindfulness moderated both the direct and indirect effects.Methods:A total of 833 Chinese adolescents completed the measurements of peer victimization,hostile attribution bias,trait mindfulness,and online trolling.Moderated mediation analysis was performed to examine the relationships between these variables.Results:After controlling for gender and residential address,the study found a significant positive correlation between peer victimization and online trolling,with hostile attribution bias serving as a mediator.In addition,trait mindfulness moderated the direct relationship between peer victimization and online trolling.Specifically,the effect of peer victimization on online trolling was attenuated when adolescents had high levels of trait mindfulness.The results of the study emphasized the joint role of peer and personal factors in adolescents’online trolling behavior and provide certain strategies for intervening in adolescents’online trolling behavior.Conclusion:The results of the study suggest that strategies focusing on peer support and mindfulness training can have a positive impact on reducing online trolling behavior,promoting adolescents’mental health,and their long-term development.

Childhood Adversity Phenotypes and Risky Health Behaviors among Chinese Adolescents: Extending the Concept of Adversity

ObjectiveTo present an approach to phenotyping ACEs and explore the association between ACEs and adolescent health risky behaviors based on the social context of China.Methods Totally,5,726 adolescents aged 12-18 years were investigated about their ACEs in the family,peer,school,and personal domains and the occurrence of six types of risky health behaviors(i.e.,smoking,drinking,sexual intercourse,self-harm,and suicidal ideation and attempts).Latent class analysis(LCA)was used to explore the ACE patterns.Results Six latent classes of ACEs were identified,including low adversity,school adversity,school adversity and peer victimization,peer victimization,maltreatment and peer victimization,and high adversity,and associated with risky health behaviors in adolescents.Being physically punished by a teacher,experiencing sexual abuse,and experiencing family trauma most strongly differentiated from the six AcE classes and were correlated with an increased risk for risky adolescent health behaviors.ConclusionThis study supports a positive association between ACEs and risky adolescent health behaviors.Peer victimization,school adversity and associated contexts need to be considered in future ACEstudies.