Longitudinal associations between peer victimisation subtypes and children and adolescents' anxiety: A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis examined the bidirectional effects between types of peer victimisation and anxiety. It also investigated types of anxiety as a potential moderator of this relationship, which has not been examined within a meta-analytic framework previously. Five electronic databases were searched and longitudinal studies exclusively utilising published and validated measures for peer victimisation subtypes and anxiety symptomology were included. A total of 3760 articles were screened and 14 studies with a total of 11,307 participants met inclusion criteria. Results showed significant bidirectional effects between anxiety and several subtypes of victimisations including cyber, overt, relational, and reputational victimisation. Although significant effects were seen among all associations, these were all deemed as small, except for relational peer victimisation predicting anxiety over time which was considered to be a moderate effect size. Moderator analysis of anxiety types suggested that relational peer victimisation predicted social anxiety to a greater and more significant extent than general symptoms of anxiety. It was also found that general anxiety symptoms were significantly greater at predicting overt peer victimisation over time than social anxiety symptoms. These results hold implications for theories around the development and maintenance of anxiety, as well as providing evidence to inform treatments and interventions for both anxiety disorders and programmes aimed to prevent peer victimisation. • Bidirectional effects were found among peer victimisation types and anxiety. • Relational forms of victimisation were seen to predict social anxiety symptoms. • General anxiety symptoms were found to moderate overt types of victimisations. • Results hold theoretical implications for the development and treatment of anxiety.