How Does Bullying Victimization Predict Dysfunctional Beliefs about Appearance in Adolescents? The Roles of Psychological Distress and Self-Concealment

Abstract

Available studies point out that bullying victimization (BV) not only affects physical well-being but also contributes to mental health issues among adolescents. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between BV and dysfunctional beliefs about appearance (DBAA) in adolescents, with psychological distress as a mediator and self-concealment as a moderator. The participants of the study consisted of 500 Turkish high school students (51% girls, Mage = 15.51, SD = 1.22) who were recruited using convenience sampling. In order to evaluate bullying victimization, the adolescents were requested to complete the Peer Bullying Scale Adolescent Form and the Cyberbullying Questionnaire. In addition, the participants were also asked to complete the Beliefs about Appearance Scale, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, the Self-Concealment Scale, and a demographic form including age, gender, and SES. The hypotheses were tested using the PROCESS Macro Model 7. First, the results indicated a positive association between BV and DBAA. Second, the mediator role of psychological distress was found for the relationship between BV and DBAA. Third, the moderator role of self-concealment was statistically significant. Accordingly, the variance in psychological distress explained by exposure to peer bullying became stronger with the increase in self-concealment orientation. The findings highlighted the need for interventions that address both mental health and social support to mitigate the detrimental roles of BV during adolescence.