Longitudinal associations between peer rejection, fear of negative evaluation and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents: a cross-lagged panel analysis.

Yuelin Chen, Zihan Xie, Ying Yang

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In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed

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3 · Its place in the literature

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1 citing paper in PubMed.

Developmental Changes in the Relationships Between Depressive Symptoms and Bullying Victimization From Early to Middle Adolescence: A Cross-Lagged Panel Network Analysis.Journal of youth and adolescence · 2026
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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Yuelin ChenShanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China.

Zihan XieShanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China.

Ying YangShanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China. yyang@psy.ecnu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8036-8187

Funding

National Social Science Fund of China 22CSH091

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile peer rejection and depressive symptoms are robustly linked in adolescents, their directional relationships and underlying mechanisms remain unclear, especially in Chinese cultural contexts and mid- to late adolescence. The present study aimed to examine the longitudinal relationships between peer rejection and depressive symptoms, with particular emphasis on the potential mediating role of fear of negative evaluation. It tested two hypothesized pathways: a symptom-driven pathway (where depressive symptoms leads to peer rejection through fear of negative evaluation) and a cognitive-diathesis stress pathway (where peer rejection exacerbates depressive symptoms via fear of negative evaluation).

methodsA three-wave longitudinal study was conducted with 540 Chinese high school students (48.7% girls; M

resultsDepressive symptoms directly predicted subsequent peer rejection in both genders, aligning with the symptom-driven model. Although peer rejection did not directly predict depressive symptoms, it exerted an indirect effect through fear of negative evaluation only in girls, which supported the cognitive-diathesis stress model.

conclusionsThe study highlighted the importance of early identification and intervention for depressive symptoms and provided valuable insights into depression intervention. Interventions targeting peer relationships and fear of negative evaluation-especially girls-may mitigate depressive symptoms.

Indexed as

DepressionFearPeer GroupPsychological DistanceRejection, PsychologyAdolescentChinaEast Asian PeopleFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleChinese adolescentsCross-lagged panel modelDepressive symptomsFear of negative evaluationPeer rejection

Identifiers

PMID41331690

DOI10.1186/s40359-025-03695-9

PMCPMC12673682

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.