The Pathway from Adolescent Bullying to School Maladjustment: The Moderated Mediation Effect of Lethargy and the Role of Social Support

This study aimed to examine the impact of bullying on school maladjustment, mediated by lethargy, and to investigate whether social support plays a moderating role in this process.A survey was conducted among middle and high school students, and PROCESS Macro Model 59 was utilized to analyze the effects of mediation, moderation, and moderated mediation.The results of the study are as follows.First, bullying had a significant direct effect on school maladjustment, and it also had an indirect effect through lethargy.Adolescents who experienced bullying reported higher levels of lethargy that in turn led to greater school maladjustment.Second, social support did not moderate the relationship between bullying and lethargy.Even when social support was high, it did not weaken the impact of bullying on lethargy.Third, social support moderated the relationship between lethargy and school maladjustment.When social support was low, the effect of lethargy on school maladjustment was strong, whereas higher social support weakened this negative pathway.Fourth, the analysis of the moderated mediation effect revealed that when social support was low, the indirect effect of bullying on school maladjustment through lethargy was strong.However, as social support increased, the indirect effect decreased.This study highlights the role of lethargy and social support in understanding adolescents' school maladjustment.The findings suggest that fostering healthy social relationships is crucial in preventing adolescent lethargy and promoting school adaptation.