Does authentic self-esteem buffer the negative effects of bullying victimization on social anxiety and classroom concentration? Evidence from a short-term longitudinal study with early adolescents.

From PubMed via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2022-01-10, revised 2022-12-05, accepted 2022-12-10Publication status: aheadofprintBullying victimization is a risk factor for social anxiety and disrupted classroom concentration among young people. Self-esteem has been implicated as a protective factor, but extant literature is sparse. Aim of present study was to test if a new measure of authentic self-esteem can buffer the negative effects of bullying victimization on social anxiety and disrupted classroom concentration concurrently and across time. A short-term longitudinal questionnaire design was employed with 836 12- and 13-year-olds. Peer nominations of bullying victimization and self-reports of authentic self-esteem were collected during winter term, and self-reports of social anxiety and disrupted classroom concentration were solicited then and also 5 months later. Hierarchical multiple regression models indicated that authentic self-esteem moderated the association between bullying victimization and (i) social anxiety both concurrently and longitudinally and (ii) disrupted classroom concentration longitudinally. The Johnson-Neyman technique identified where on its scale authentic self-esteem had its buffering effects, and these were found to be at relatively low or moderate levels. Even moderate levels of authentic self-esteem can mitigate the association between being bullied and (i) social anxiety and (ii) disrupted classroom concentration. Efforts to monitor and where necessary enhance the authentic self-esteem of young people are warranted. [Abstract copyright: © 2022 The Authors. British Journal of Educational Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.