Abstract: Abstract: During the past 2 decades, a body of research has emerged showing that many children in elementary school are victimized by their peers. And numerous studies have also shown that peer victimization is concurrently associated with a range of adjustment difficulties, including internalizing problems, such as loneliness, school-related fear, anxiety or avoidance, depression, low self-esteem, and externalizing problems, such as aggression, truancy, and delinquency. However, few attempts have been made to determine their causal ordering in a longitudinal framework, especially among Chinese children. Several longitudinal studies conducted in the Western countries have examined linkages between peer victimization and behavior problems over time. Some of them found that recurrent peer victimization predicts significant increases in maladjustment over time, whereas others have failed to chronicle such linkages. Moreover, given the importance of social and cultural background for children’s behavior and adjustment, the findings from the research conducted in Western countries cannot be directly generated to Chinese children. The purpose of the present study was to explore the possible causal relations between peer victimization and behavior problems among Chinese children through a two-year longitudinal study. Participants were 733 third grade students in an urban area in China. Data on peer victimization, internalizing problems and externalizing problems were obtained from peer assessments and teacher rating. The data was collected in May 2008 (Time 1) and May 2010 (Time 2). The procedure was the same at the 2 time point. The results indicated that: (1) peer victimization was positively associated with externalizing problem and internalizing problems at the 2 time point. (2) while internalizing problems and externalizing problems showed weak stability, peer victimization maintained high stability across 2years. (3)Results of structural equation modeling reveal that peer victimization on Grade 3 was a significant predictor of externalizing problem on Grade 5, after controlling the effects of gender and the stability of externalizing problem. However, externalizing problem on Grade 3 cannot predict peer victimization on Grade 5. Meanwhile, internalizing problem on Grade 3 was a significant predictor of peer victimization on Grade 5, after controlling the effects of gender and the stability of peer victimization，but peer victimization on Grade 3 cannot predict internalizing problem on Grade 5. Results are discussed in terms of the implication of peer victimization on externalizing problems and internalizing problems in Chinese culture. Several longitudinal studies conducted in the Western countries have examined linkages between peer victimization and behavior problems over time. Some of them found that recurrent peer victimization predicts significant increases in maladjustment over time, whereas others have failed to chronicle such linkages. Moreover, given the importance of social and cultural background for children’s behavior and adjustment, the findings from the research conducted in Western countries cannot be directly generated to Chinese children. The purpose of the present study was to explore the possible causal relations between peer victimization and behavior problems among Chinese children through a two-year longitudinal study. Participants were 733 third grade students in an urban area in China. Data on peer victimization, internalizing problems and externalizing problems were obtained from peer assessments and teacher rating. The data was collected in May 2008 (Time 1) and May 2010 (Time 2). The procedure was the same at the 2 time point. The results indicated that: (1) peer victimization was positively associated with externalizing problem and internalizing problems at the 2 time point. (2) while internalizing problems showed weak stability, peer victimization and externalizing problems maintained moderate to high stability across 2years. (3)Results of cross-lagged analysis reveal that peer victimization on Grade 3 was a significant predictor of externalizing problem on Grade 5, after controlling the effects of gender and the stability of externalizing problem. However, externalizing problem on Grade 3 cannot predict peer victimization on Grade 5. Meanwhile, internalizing problem on Grade 3 was a significant predictor of peer victimization on Grade 5, after controlling the effects of gender and the stability of peer victimization，but peer victimization on Grade 3 cannot predict internalizing problem on Grade 5. Results are discussed in terms of the implication of peer victimization on externalizing problems and internalizing problems in Chinese culture.

Key words: peer victimization, externalizing problem, internalizing problem, structural equation modeling

摘要： 摘要：采用同伴评价和教师评价对733名小学3年级儿童进行为期两年的追踪研究，通过结构方程模型，考察受欺负与两类问题行为的相互预测关系。结果发现：（1）受欺负与外化问题行为和内化问题行为呈显著正相关。（2）受欺负在两年之间呈现较高的稳定性；而外化问题行为和内化问题行为则表现出较低程度的稳定性。 （3）结构方程模型结果表明，三年级时的受欺负可以显著预测五年级时的外化问题行为，而三年级时的外化问题行为不能显著预测五年级时的受欺负；三年级时的内化问题行为可以显著预测五年级时的受欺负，而三年级时的受欺负不能显著预测五年级时的内化问题行为。在受欺负与问题行为的相互预测关系中，内化问题行为更有可能成为受欺负的触发因素，而外化问题行为则更有可能是对受欺负的回应。

关键词: 受欺负, 外化问题行为, 内化问题行为, 结构方程模型