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The Roles of Teasing and Social Support in Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behavioral Outcomes

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to better understand the relations between teasing and various internalizing and externalizing outcome variables, as well as the potential for social support to mediate the relations between teasing and these outcome variables. A total of 651 9th–12th grade students in a suburban/semi-rural school district located in the midwestern United States participated in the study. Research has shown that teasing is related to negative outcomes. The present study adds to existing literature by demonstrating a small but statistically significant link between certain types of teasing and distress about that teasing with certain types of risk behavior. An unexpected finding was that higher rates of teasing about academic performance predicted lower rates of risk behavior. Social support was demonstrated to mediate teasing and some externalized outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 345 College of Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA

    Kim G. Van Dale, Cheryl L. Somers, David H. Gregg, Jina S. Yoon, Stephen B. Hillman & Marla G. Bartoi

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  1. Kim G. Van Dale
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  2. Cheryl L. Somers
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  3. David H. Gregg
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  4. Jina S. Yoon
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  5. Stephen B. Hillman
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  6. Marla G. Bartoi
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Correspondence to Cheryl L. Somers.

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Van Dale, K.G., Somers, C.L., Gregg, D.H. et al. The Roles of Teasing and Social Support in Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behavioral Outcomes. Child Ind Res 7, 537–552 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-013-9227-1

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