Abstract
BACKGROUND: While 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). METHODS: A three-wave longitudinal study was conducted with 540 Chinese high school students (48.7% girls; M(age) = 15.33, SD = 0.53) from 2020 to 2022. Self-report surveys assessed peer rejection, depressive symptoms, and fear of negative evaluation. Cross-lagged panel analysis was utilized to test direct and mediated pathways, with multi-group analysis examining gender differences. RESULTS: Depressive 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. CONCLUSIONS: The 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.