Parental neglect and peer victimization: stable between-adolescent co-occurrence but no significant within-person cross-lagged associations

Abstract Background Parental neglect and peer victimization often co-occur in adolescence, but this association may reflect stable between-adolescent differences or within-person temporal associations. We examined these two levels and explored whether cross-domain item associations recurred across intervals. Methods We analyzed three waves, six months apart, from 1,132 adolescents in 23 classrooms at two urban middle schools. A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) was the primary analysis; cross-lagged panel networks (CLPNs) were exploratory. Neglect reports covered the preceding 12 months, so adjacent recall windows overlapped by approximately six months, limiting temporal interpretation. Results Parental neglect and peer victimization showed positive between-adolescent covariance (pooled random-intercept covariance = 0.309, 95% CI [0.233, 0.384]). No significant within-person cross-lagged association was detected in either direction: neglect-to-victimization, b = − 0.052, 95% CI [− 0.180, 0.077]; victimization-to-neglect, b = − 0.051, 95% CI [− 0.165, 0.062]. Exploratory item analyses identified no robust recurring cross-domain association. Conclusions The observed association was primarily characterized by stable between-adolescent co-occurrence. No significant average within-person cross-lagged association was detected in this design. The findings support considering family and peer contexts jointly in assessment, but do not exclude weak, differently timed, or heterogeneous within-person processes.