Peer Victimization and Friendship Quality: A Moderated Mediational Pathway with Social Withdrawal and Temperament

We examined longitudinal associations among peer victimization, social withdrawal (moderated by sensitivity to punishment), and friendship quality in 387 adolescents (M_age= 13.08). Cross-lagged path models showed concurrent, but not prospective, links between victimization and withdrawal. Social withdrawal predicted declines in positive friendship quality over time, with no evidence of moderation.