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Access Type
WSU Access
Date of Award
January 2025
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Hannah Schacter
Abstract
Peer victimization becomes more common during adolescence and is recognized as a public health concern. Although past research links peer victimization to depressive symptoms, less is known about cognitive moderates for this association. Thus, the current study examines the association between peer victimization and depressive symptoms in high school adolescents and assesses cognitive transformation as a moderator (i.e., adaptive cognitive shift leading to a newfound perspective in the face of a life-altering event). Participants were 388 ninth graders who completed surveys assessing peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and a turning point narrative across one year. Regression analysis showed that ninth-grade peer victimization significantly predicted 10th-grade depressive symptoms, however, cognitive transformation did not significantly moderate this relationship. These findings signify the power of bullying and its long-term effects on high school adolescents as they transition to high school and the need to further explore protective cognitive factors.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Jenae, "A Window Into The Adolescent Mind: Can Cognitive Transformation Protect Against The Effect Of Peer Victimization On Adolescent Depressive Symptoms?" (2025). Wayne State University Theses. 993.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_theses/993