title: Peer victimization as a mediator of the relationship between disability status and psychosocial distress.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Youth with disabilities experience greater levels of peer victimization and psychosocial distress than non-disabled youth. However, the extent to which exposure to peer victimization mediates the relationship between disability status and psychosocial distress is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the relationship between disability status and psychological distress was mediated by exposure to peer victimization, and if so, whether the mediation effects of peer victimization on psychosocial distress was moderated by sex.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study involved a series of regressions to test for mediation and moderated mediation using complex survey data from 6664 Oregon 11th graders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peer victimization partially mediated the relationship between disability status and psychosocial distress. Sex, however, did not significantly moderate the mediating effects of peer victimization on psychosocial distress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to peer victimization mediated the relationship between disability status and psychosocial distress; there was little support for sex as a moderator.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Social Work, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207-0751, USA; Graduate School of Education, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207-0751, USA. Electronic address: mcgee@pdx.edu.
authors.forename: Marjorie G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: McGee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D058445:Bullying; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009922:Oregon; D010379:Peer Group; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Disability; MHI; Mediation; Peer victimization; Psychosocial distress