The Vicious Cycle of Peer Stress and Self-Directed Violence Among Chinese Left-Behind Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Relative Deprivation

Abstract

The association between peer stress and self-directed violence has been supported by various studies, but the mechanisms underlying the association are still unclear, especially for left-behind adolescents. In addition, most of the existing studies have neglected the negative interpersonal consequences of self-directed violence. Based on the transactional model of development and relative deprivation theory, this study examined the reciprocal relationship between peer stress and self-directed violence in left-behind and non-left-behind adolescents, as well as the bidirectional mediating role of relative deprivation. A total of 1258 adolescents (683 left-behind adolescents) participated in this 10-month study with three consecutive follow-ups. Results of cross-lagged analyzes revealed that for left-behind adolescents but not non-left-behind adolescents: first, there is a vicious bidirectional cycle of peer stress and self-directed violence; second, this cycle is mediated by relative deprivation; and third, both the vicious cycle and the mediation remain consistent across different genders or educational stages. The findings highlight the need to focus on challenges such as peer stress and self-directed violence among left-behind adolescents and suggest that interventions targeting relative deprivation may break the vicious cycle between peer stress and self-directed violence in this subgroup.