Peer victimization history is associated with adolescents’ affective dynamics and social stress appraisal in daily life

It was studied how a history of peer victimization contributes to within-person affective processes in adolescents (15 years old, N=86, 42 female and 44 male, primarily Dutch). Using experience sampling, we assessed negative affect (NA) and social stress appraisal (SS). Hypotheses and statistical analyses were pre-registered. Results showed that greater peer victimization history related to increased SS, NA, and NA persistence (i.e., higher inertia). These findings align with the social information processing model and prevention hypothesis, demonstrating that peer victimization takes an emotional toll on adolescents, leading to increased social stress, negative affect, and increased persistence of negative affect. Understanding these impacts is crucial for understanding how peer victimization may lead to emotional difficulties over time.