Bullying Victimization and the Mediating Effects of Child Maltreatment on School Engagement Among South Korean Youth in Orphanages and a National Sample

Background: Peer bullying is a global problem affecting youth around the world. The relationship between child maltreatment and school bullying victimization and perpetration is well known. However, the extent of bullying among vulnerable groups of adolescents with histories of maltreatment, such as those in orphanage care, and how maltreatment and bullying victimization impact school engagement. This study aimed to examine peer bullying victimization among adolescents residing in orphanage care compared to a national sample of adolescents in South Korea, and investigate the mediating effect of bullying victimization on the relationship between child maltreatment and school engagement.Methods: Data from the national Korean Welfare Panel Study (KoWePS) 7th wave (n=521) and a study of 153 South Korean adolescents in orphanage care were merged into one dataset (N=675). Analysis included descriptive and bivariate statistics, two simple mediation analyses, and multiple regression analysis to verify mediation effects using PROCESS macro. Results: Adolescents in orphanage care reported significantly higher bullying victimization and lower school engagement than the national sample. Negative correlations were identified between bullying victimization, child maltreatment, and school engagement. Importantly, bullying victimization significantly mediated the relationship between child maltreatment and school engagement. Conclusions: These findings highlight the complex relationship between maltreatment and bullying victimization, emphasizing the need for comprehensive interventions addressing both maltreatment and peer bullying to enhance school engagement among vulnerable youth.