Abstract
A recurring paradox in recent literature is that victims’ psychological adjustment outcomes worsen as classroom-level victimization declines. Due to the limited and inconsistent findings from longitudinal studies, this two-wave study aims to examine whether the impact of individual-level victimization on three basic psychological needs (autonomy, relatedness, and competence needs) and internalizing problems (anxiety and depression) varies across classrooms with different victimization levels. A sample of Chinese adolescents (Time 1: N = 1358, 49.5% girls; M
age ± SD = 12.38 ± 0.53; Time 2: N = 1029, 54.3% girls; M
age ± SD = 13.37 ± 0.49) from 22 classrooms were followed for 20 months. Multilevel modeling analysis showed that, in healthier classroom, the individual-level victimization had a stronger effect on satisfaction of relatedness and competence needs, and a stronger indirect effect on internalizing problems (theoretically via basic psychological needs satisfaction). Notably, the moderating effect of classroom-level victimization on the direct path from individual-level victimization to internalizing problems was significant among boys but not among girls. Findings highlight the importance of understanding the individual–environment interactions in the context of Chinese culture when examining the consequences of victimization. They also remind practitioners to pay attention to the potential risks faced of victims in classrooms with low levels of victimization, especially regarding the satisfaction of their psychological needs.