Prosocial Peer Affiliation as a Buffer of the Bidirectional Relationship Between Bullying Victimization and Perpetration in Early Adolescents

This study focused on examining the role of prosocial peer affiliation as a potential buffer of the bidirectional relationship between bullying victimization and perpetration, using nationally representative data of U.S. early adolescents ( N = 7973) from the fourth- and fifth-grade rounds of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011 (ECLS-K:2011). Employing the cross-lagged panel model and latent moderated structural equations approach, results indicated that prosocial peer affiliation significantly buffered the relationship between bullying victimization and later perpetration. However, prosocial peer affiliation significantly enhanced, rather than buffered, the association between bullying perpetration and subsequent victimization. Findings suggest that antibullying interventions may focus on helping children who are bullied to be affiliated with prosocial peers to prevent subsequent bullying behavior.