Peer victimization and social adjustment among left-behind adolescents: mediating role of prosocial behavior and intervention effects

This study integrates mechanism testing with intervention evaluation to examine how peer victimization influences adolescents’ social adjustment, with particular attention to left-behind adolescents in China. Study 1 surveyed 1,510 junior high school students and tested a moderated mediation model in which prosocial behavior mediated the association between peer victimization and social adjustment, while left-behind status moderated both the direct and indirect pathways. The results indicated that peer victimization was negatively associated with social adjustment, and this association was partially mediated by prosocial behavior. These effects were more pronounced among left-behind adolescents. Drawing on these findings, Study 2 implemented a 13-session, school-based prosocial behavior intervention with 62 adolescents who had experienced peer victimization (28 with left-behind experiences and 34 without). Repeated-measures analyses of variance showed that, compared with a control group, participants in the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in prosocial behavior and social adjustment, with stronger gains observed among left-behind adolescents. Across the two studies, prosocial behavior emerged as a modifiable protective factor that may buffer the negative effects of peer victimization, particularly among adolescents with limited parental presence. These findings highlight the value of integrating mechanism research with intervention design and provide empirical support for developing targeted, school-based services to promote social adjustment among vulnerable adolescents.