Family Violence, Depressive Symptoms, School Bonding, and Bullying Perpetration: An Intergenerational Transmission of Violence Perspective

ABSTRACT

Ample evidence suggests that exposure to family violence associates with bullying perpetration (BP).However, much is unknown about the underlying mechanism such as depressive symptoms and the moderating role of school bonding in these relationships. Thus, this study first examined the link between exposure to family violence and BP. Second, the mediating role of depressive symptoms on the relationship between exposure to family violence and BP. Third, this study explored whether school bonding moderated the relationships among exposure to family violence, depressive symptoms, and BP while controlling for substance use (N = 2,273). Results suggest that exposure to family violence is positively associated with BP. Mediation results suggest that depressive symptoms explained relationship between exposure to family violence and BP. Moderation results suggest school bonding did not buffer the association between exposure to family violence and depressive symptoms. However, school bonding weakened the relationship between exposure to family violence and BP. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Family violence
• substance use
• depression
• school-bonding
• BP

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Timothy Lawrence

Timothy I. Lawrence is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Texas A&M University in the School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. His research interests include emotions, developmental psychopathology, aggression, trauma, and psych-law decision-making.