Understanding general and specific associations between cyberbullying and psychopathological symptoms in adolescents: a latent dimensional approach.

Cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) is a prevalent public health problem associated with a wide variety of psychopathological symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety, delinquent behaviors, and substance use). However, the generality and specificity of relations between cyberbullying involvement and psychopathological symptoms have not been investigated. Thus, the current study used a latent dimensional approach to examine how cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) is associated with underlying dimensions of psychopathology as well as with specific symptoms. General and specific associations were estimated by a series of structural equation models with data from 654 Chinese adolescents (52.4% girls, Mage = 12.96 years, SD = 0.67) in a three-wave study. Results indicated that cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) was significantly and positively associated with latent internalizing and externalizing dimensions. Cyberbullying involvement was non-significantly associated with most specific symptom domains after accounting for the impact of the latent internalizing and externalizing factors. In a few cases, cyberbullying involvement was directly and uniquely associated with specific symptoms. Findings of significant general and symptom-specific associations have important implications for efforts to develop more efficient and targeted strategies for preventing and treating mental health problems associated with cyberbullying.

Longitudinal associations among basic psychological need satisfaction at school, self-esteem, and suicidal ideation from middle childhood to early adolescence: Disentangling between­ and within­person associations.

INTRODUCTION: The current study aimed to examine the longitudinal associations among basic psychological need satisfaction at school (BPNSS), self-esteem, and suicidal ideation (SI), including whether self-esteem functioned as a mediator of the relations between BPNSS and SI at the within-person level after disentangling between- and within-person associations encompassing middle childhood to early adolescence. METHODS: A total of 650 Chinese students (53.54% boys, Mage = 9.95, SD = 0.75 at Time 1) completed measures on four occasions across 1.5 years, using 6-month intervals. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models were applied to disaggregate between- and within-person effects, thus providing greater confidence in elucidating the causal relations among study variables. RESULTS: The results showed that at the within-person level: (a) BPNSS negatively predicted SI; (b) BPNSS positively predicted self-esteem; (c) Self-esteem negatively predicted SI; and (d) BPNSS indirectly predicted SI via self-esteem. CONCLUSION: These findings advanced the literature by demonstrating longitudinal associations among BPNSS, self-esteem, and SI at the within-person level, and highlighting the significance of distinguishing between- and within-person effects in developing prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing SI over time from middle childhood to early adolescence.

Gender-specific co-developmental trajectories of internalizing and externalizing problems from middle childhood to early adolescence: Environmental and individual predictors.

This study aimed to identify gender-specific co-developmental trajectories of internalizing and externalizing problems from middle childhood to early adolescence, along with key environmental and individual predictors among Chinese youth. A total of 1653 Chinese elementary school students (M age = 9.40; SD = 0.51; 54.57% boys) participated in assessments at six time points, using 6-month assessment intervals. Parallel process latent class growth modeling identified four trajectories for boys: Congruent-low (65.74%), moderate-decreasing internalizing and moderate-stable externalizing problems (18.40%), high increasing-internalizing and low-stable externalizing problems (8.20%), and high decreasing-internalizing and low-stable externalizing problems (7.65%). Three trajectories were identified for girls: Congruent-low (81.09%), moderate co-occurring (7.19%), and high increasing-internalizing and low-stable externalizing problems (11.72%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that peer victimization served as an environmental risk predictor for the adverse co-developmental trajectories of internalizing and externalizing problems for boys and girls. High sensation-seeking and low self-control served as individual risk variables predicting the trajectories of high increasing-internalizing and low-stable externalizing problems, and low self-control also predicted the trajectories of high decreasing-internalizing and low-stable externalizing problems for boys. The findings highlight the importance of gender differences in understanding the progression of internalizing and externalizing problems and inform effective strategies for prevention and intervention.

Global and domain-specific self-esteem from middle childhood to early adolescence: Co-developmental trajectories and directional relations.

OBJECTIVE: The study used both person-centered (i.e., parallel process latent class growth modeling) and variable-centered (i.e., random intercept cross-lagged panel modeling) approaches to examine developmental changes in global and domain-specific self-esteem from middle childhood to early adolescence. METHOD: A total of 715 Chinese youth participated (54.3% boys; 45.7% girls; Mage = 9.96; SD = 0.51) in a 6-wave longitudinal study with 6-month intervals. RESULTS: Parallel process latent class growth modeling identified three co-developmental trajectories of global and domain-specific self-esteem: Congruent high increasing and then flattening global and domain-specific self-esteem, congruent moderate domain-specific self-esteem with convex global self-esteem, and congruent low with concave appearance and global self-esteem. Results from random intercept cross-lagged panel modeling found reciprocal within-person associations between academic self-esteem and global self-esteem; global self-esteem significantly predicted social self-esteem, while physical appearance self-esteem significantly predicted global self-esteem. CONCLUSION: Evidence was provided for top-down and bottom-up effects of self-esteem among Chinese youth. The findings provided new insight into the development of self-esteem in youth.

Longitudinal Association and Mediating Mechanism Between Externalizing and Internalizing Problems Among Children: A Within-Person Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: In this multi-informant, 3-year longitudinal study, the bidirectional relations between externalizing and internalizing problems were investigated, along with whether peer victimization and academic achievement mediated their relations after separating between-person effects from within-person effects. METHOD: A sample of 3238 Chinese children (55.02% boys; Mage T1 = 9.89 years) reported semiannually on peer victimization and both externalizing and internalizing problems, and parents reported on their children's externalizing and internalizing problems. Students' objective academic achievement data (i.e. final exam scores) were obtained from school records. RESULTS: Random intercepts cross-lagged panel modeling (RI-CLPM) revealed that neither academic achievement nor peer victimization mediated the relations between externalizing and internalizing problems in both self and parent reports at the within-person level. The cross-lagged panel models (CLPM) results supported that peer victimization (but not academic achievement) mediated the relations from internalizing to externalizing problems or externalizing to internalizing problems, whether self-reported or parent-reported. This study also identified meaningful sex differences in focal relations among children. CONCLUSIONS: Findings illustrate the importance of distinguishing within-person and between- person associations, with within- person findings failing to support the hypothesized mediating pathways of the Dual Failure or Acting Out Models among children.

Joint trajectories of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and social anxiety from middle childhood to early adolescence: associations with suicidal ideation.

This study examined the joint trajectories of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and social anxiety from middle childhood to early adolescence and their associations with suicidal ideation. A total of 643 Chinese elementary school students (55.2% male; Mage = 9.01; SD = 0.75; range = 7 to 11 years at T1) completed measures on six occasions at 6-month intervals. Parallel process latent class growth models revealed five distinct trajectories of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and social anxiety: "congruent-low" (45.1%), "moderately low with predominant loneliness and depressive symptoms" (15.7%), "moderate with predominant loneliness and depressive symptoms" (4.2%), "moderately low with predominant social anxiety" (24.9%), and "congruent-high" (10.1%). The highest suicidal ideation was observed among adolescents who persistently experienced two or three symptoms, followed by those who persistently experienced one predominant symptom, and finally, adolescents who persistently experienced low levels of all three symptoms. The findings highlight the importance of individual differences considerations in understanding the joint patterns of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and social anxiety among youth during the transition into adolescence and the need for more sophisticated intervention programs tailored to the unique characteristics of the relevant trajectories to reduce the risk of suicidal ideation.

Sex-specific joint trajectories of deviant peer affiliation and externalizing problems from middle childhood to early adolescence: the predictive role of family maltreatment.

Previous research has shown a strong link between deviant peer affiliation (DPA) and externalizing problems (EXT) among children and adolescents. Little is known about how DPA and EXT develop jointly over time or possible sex differences in their development. This longitudinal study identified sex-specific joint trajectories of DPA and EXT from middle childhood to early adolescence and investigated the predictive role of family maltreatment experiences in joint trajectories of DPA and EXT. A total of 3622 Chinese elementary school students in grades 3 and 4 (Mage = 10, SD = 0.53; 46.5% girls) comprised the sample. Assessments were conducted every six months on five occasions across 2.5 years. Parallel process latent class growth modeling (PP-LCGM) was used to explore the joint trajectories of DPA and EXT for boys and girls separately. The PP-LCGM identified four trajectories for boys: "congruent-low" (78.2%), "congruent-high" (12.40%), "deviant peer affiliation increasing" (6.5%), and "congruent late increasing" (2.9%). Four trajectories were identified for girls: "congruent-low" (82.5%), "slowly increasing" (10.2%), and "deviant peer affiliation desisting" (5.6%), and "congruent late increasing" (1.7%). After controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), the results showed that compared to the congruent-low group, more severe family maltreatment predicted the high and high-start trajectories for boys. The findings highlighted the joint development of DPA and EXT and the sex differences associated with their development. Findings also shed light on the importance of sex in developmental responses to family maltreatment.

Profiles and Transitions of Cyberbullying Perpetration and Victimization from Childhood to Early Adolescence: Multi-Contextual Risk and Protective Factors.

Cyberbullying may negatively affect youth's development. Because knowledge of the onset and course of cyberbullying during middle childhood and early adolescence is limited, studies of its antecedents, heterogeneous profiles, and transitions are needed to inform prevention and intervention efforts. The current longitudinal study explored the profiles and transitions of cyberbullying perpetration and victimization from middle childhood to early adolescence, along with their multi-contextual risk and protective factors. A total of 4326 Chinese elementary school students (44.6% female, Mage = 9.94) participated in self-report assessments at four time points with six-month intervals. The profiles and transitions of cyberbullying were modeled using latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis. Three cyberbullying profiles were identified: non-involved, cyberbully-victims, and cybervictims. The findings on the development of cyberbullying showed that: (1) its prevalence rate decreased from middle to late childhood and then increased during the transition to early adolescence; and (2) its stability increased from middle childhood to early adolescence. Multi-contextual risk and protective factors of profile memberships and transitions were also examined. The findings suggested that: (1) family abuse and peer aggression were stable risk factors for cyberbully-victims; (2) high-quality friendships and self-control were stable protective factors for cyberbully-victims; (3) family abuse and depressive symptoms were stable risk factors for cybervictims; and (4) significant predictive effects of family abuse, high-quality friendships, perceived parental warmth, and self-control were found for the transitions in cyberbullying profiles. These results supported multi-contextual models of the development and transitions of cyberbullying in Chinese children.

Perceived Parental Warmth, Peer Perpetration, and Peer Victimization: Unraveling Within-Child Associations from Between-Child Differences.

Although perceived parental warmth and "peer victimization and peer perpetration" are believed to be unidirectionally related, researchers have not examined the possibility of bidirectional relations among them, especially with regard to within-child relations. We thus explored the dynamic longitudinal associations among children's perceived parental warmth (maternal warmth and paternal warmth), peer perpetration, and peer victimization at the within-child level. A total of 3720 Chinese children (Mage = 9.95 years at Time 1, 46.1% girls) were investigated on five occasions, every 6 months. Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models (RI-CLPMs) were applied to estimate the within-child associations among these variables. The results were: (1) for peer perpetration, peer perpetration inversely predicted subsequent perceived parental warmth, while perceived maternal (but not paternal) warmth inversely predicted subsequent peer perpetration; (2) for peer victimization, perceived maternal and paternal warmth both inversely predicted a child's subsequent peer victimization, and perceived parental warmth and peer victimization bidirectionally predicted each other; and (3) peer perpetration and peer victimization bidirectionally predicted each other. These findings enhance understanding of how perceived parental warmth temporally interrelates with peer perpetration and peer victimization from a positive spillover theory perspective, as well as how peer perpetration temporally interrelates with peer victimization from a negative vicious cycle perspective.

Co-development of aggression in elementary school children: The predictive roles of victimization experiences.

Aggression among peers is a common and serious problem in school-age children. Physical, relational, and cyber aggression often occur simultaneously but may exhibit heterogeneous developmental patterns. We aimed to identify heterogeneous co-developmental patterns of physical, relational, and cyber peer aggression and to investigate the contributions of victimization experiences to co-developmental trajectories. Participants were 2869 elementary school students (56.2% boys), initially in fourth grade (Mage = 10.51 years) in China. Longitudinal data on peer aggression were collected from participants semiannually for 2 years. Data on victimization experiences were collected in the initial measurement wave. Parallel process latent curve growth modeling produced four co-developmental trajectories of peer aggression: High Desisting group, Moderate-Increasing group, Moderate-Physical and Relational Aggression group, and Low Stable group. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that childhood emotional abuse, psychological maltreatment by teachers, as well as physical peer victimization, and cyber peer victimization, served as risk factors for severe co-developmental trajectories. The findings highlight the co-development of physical, relational, and cyber aggression. The identification of risk factors for co-developmental trajectories points to the need for continued monitoring and protection from ongoing victimization experiences in the family and school settings to prevent or ameliorate aggressive behavior.

Family and Friends Support and Hope in Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Effects of Self-Esteem.

Structural modeling was used to investigate presumed antecedents of hope in a community-based sample of Chinese adolescents. Specifically, we evaluated the mediating role of self-esteem in the link between social support from family and friends and individual differences in hope. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Children's Hope Scale were administered to 1,654 adolescent students (781 boys and 873 girls) from Chinese senior high schools. Social support from family and friends correlated equally with hope levels of participants, demonstrating the importance of both sources of support. Self-esteem fully mediated the relationship between family support and hope and partially (23.6%) mediated the relationship between friends support and hope. Results support a social-cognitive model of the origins of hope among adolescents. Findings also suggest implications for the design of hope-promoting environments for adolescents that extend beyond a focus on the individual to incorporate more comprehensive systemic components, including social support from family and friends. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 60(7), 39-46.].

Assessing the Measurement Invariance of the Children's Hope Scale in Chinese and American Adolescents.

Previous studies of the Children's Hope Scale (CHS) have not compared its factor structure using samples of Chinese early adolescents and American early adolescents. Contrary to expectations, the one-factor model revealed a better fit for the Chinese sample (N = 1184) whereas the two-factor model revealed a better fit for the American sample (N = 1049). Full measurement invariance was not demonstrated for the two-factor model of the CHS with the Chinese adolescents. This finding indicated that researchers should not make mean level comparisons between the two factors of agency and pathways across early adolescents from these two nations. Partial scalar invariance was achieved for the one-factor model, which suggested that researchers may tentatively make comparisons between Chinese and American early adolescents using CHS total scores. Although caution should be exercised in interpreting the mean differences, Chinese adolescents reported a lower total mean level of hope than American adolescents. Differences in the findings are discussed within the collectivism-individualism framework.

Co-Developmental Trajectories of Specific Anxiety Symptoms from Middle Childhood to Early Adolescence: Associations with Psychological Well-Being and Academic Achievement.

Different types of specific anxiety symptoms commonly co-occur but also display distinct developmental trajectories over time in children and adolescents. Nevertheless, little is known about the co-developmental trajectories of specific anxiety symptoms among youth during the transition into adolescence and how identified trajectories are associated with important psychological and academic outcomes. This study thus aimed to determine the (a) heterogeneous co-developmental trajectories of five specific anxiety symptoms (generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, social anxiety, school anxiety, and panic disorder) from middle childhood to early adolescence, and (b) associations between the identified, distinct trajectories and youth's psychological well-being and academic achievement. A total of 715 Chinese elementary school students (45.6% girls, Mage = 8.96, SD = 0.76) completed measures on six occasions across three years, using 6-month intervals. Parallel process latent class growth modeling revealed five distinct anxiety trajectory groups: "congruent-low" (49.8%), "moderately low with predominant social anxiety" (18.5%), "moderately low with predominant school anxiety" (12.6%), "moderately high with predominant generalized and social anxiety" (8.6%), and "congruent-high" (10.5%). The lowest psychological well-being and academic achievement were observed for youth who persistently experienced the co-occurrence of two or more specific anxiety symptoms, followed by those who persistently experienced one predominant anxiety symptom, and finally, youth who persistently experienced low levels of all five specific anxiety symptoms. The identification of five heterogeneous groups with differential outcomes highlights the importance of individual differences considerations in understanding the co-developmental patterns of specific anxiety symptoms from middle childhood to early adolescence and the need for more sophisticated intervention programs tailored to members of specific groups to promote optimal psychological well-being and academic success.

Undergraduate students' norms for the Chinese version of the symptom check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R).

BACKGROUND: Despite widespread application of the Symptom Check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R) for Chinese undergraduate students, there are no appropriate norms for them. The aim of this study is to provide norms for the Chinese version of the tool for undergraduate students using a large and representative sample. METHODS: Four thousand eight hundred sixty students completed the scale of SCL-90. The mean scores obtained in the present study were compared with mean scores from previous normative samples. RESULTS: The mean scores for nine subscales of the SCL-90-R ranged from (1.36 ± 0.46) ~ (1.77 ± 0.63) and the mean (standard deviation) Global Severity Index (GSI) was 1.50 (0.49). Relative to previous normative studies, the findings suggested that Chinese undergraduate students' self-reported mental health symptoms decreased in interpersonal sensitivity, depression, hostility, and paranoid ideation subscales. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to revise the norms of the Chinese version of the SCL-90-R for undergraduate students.

Profiles of narcissism and self-esteem associated with comprehensive mental health in adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: This study firstly aimed to identify different profiles of narcissism and self-esteem in adolescents using latent profile analysis (LPA). A secondary aim was to examine associations between the identified profiles and subsequent measures of comprehensive mental health. METHODS: Chinese adolescents (N = 1009, 50.8%girls, Mage = 12.99, SD = 0.66) completed a packet of measures on two occasions at 6-month intervals. Narcissism and self-esteem were assessed at Time 1. Positive and negative indicators of mental health were assessed at Time 2. RESULTS: Latent profile analysis of narcissism and self-esteem identified six profiles: (1) high narcissism and high self-esteem; (2) high-moderate self-regard; (3) moderate self-regard; (4) low-moderate self-regard; (5) high narcissism but low self-esteem; (6) low self-regard. Adolescents in the high narcissism and high self-esteem and high-moderate self-regard profiles displayed positive mental health outcomes whereas adolescents in the high narcissism but low self-esteem and low self-regard profiles reported problematic mental health outcomes. CONCLUSION: Differing profiles of narcissism and self-esteem in adolescents were identified; these profiles provide new insight into the structure of self-concept for adolescents. Further, the identified profiles of narcissism and self-esteem were differentially related to subsequent comprehensive mental health outcomes.

Profiles and Transitions of Dual-Factor Mental Health among Chinese Early Adolescents: The Predictive Roles of Perceived Psychological Need Satisfaction and Stress in School.

Increasing evidence has supported the dual-factor model of mental health which propose that both negative (i.e., psychological symptoms) and positive (e.g., well-being) indicators should be included in comprehensive assessments of youth's mental health. However, the nature of the profiles and transitions of dual-factor mental health and their predictors remain unclear during early adolescence, thus precluding a meaningful understanding of the development in comprehensive mental health status. This study included measures of negative (i.e., depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms) as well as positive (i.e., life satisfaction and self-esteem) mental health to identify heterogeneous profiles, transition patterns, and key school-related predictors of dual-factor mental health statuses among Chinese early adolescents. A total of 1009 participants with a range of 10 to 15 years old (Mage = 12.97, SD = 0.67, 50.7% female) completed assessments on three occasions, every six months. The results revealed three distinctive groups: Flourishing youth (i.e., low depressive and anxiety symptoms, high self-esteem and life satisfaction), Vulnerable youth (i.e., low depressive and anxiety symptoms, low self-esteem and life satisfaction), and Troubled youth (i.e., high depressive and anxiety symptoms, low self-esteem and life satisfaction). The findings also indicated differential stability and unique transition patterns among the three groups. The results also revealed that higher levels of autonomy, relatedness and competence need satisfaction in school operated as protective factors whereas higher levels of academic and peer relationship stress operated as risk factors for the profiles and transition patterns. The identification of three groups with unique transition patterns highlights the importance of subgroup differences and possible cultural considerations in understanding the progression of mental health and the need for universally screening and dynamically monitor changes in youth's dual-factor mental health to develop more sophisticated intervention programs tailored to the unique characteristics of the relevant groups. Furthermore, the identification of important school-related predictors of mental health, specifically experiences surrounding the satisfaction of psychological needs in school (especially relatedness needs) and school stress (especially peer relationship stress), should inform prevention and intervention programs.

Trajectories of Suicidal Ideation from Middle Childhood to Early Adolescence: Risk and Protective Factors.

Suicidal ideation is considered to be the first step on the pathway to suicide. Despite the fact that suicidal ideation is surprisingly prevalent among preadolescent children in China and elsewhere, and despite its possible increase during the transition into adolescence, its developmental patterns and predictors during this period are unclear, thus precluding a meaningful understanding of its determinants and possible trajectories. Thus, this study aimed to identify suicidal ideation trajectories and multisystemic predictors covering the transition from middle childhood to early adolescence. A total of 715 Chinese elementary school students (Mage = 8.95, SD = 0.71; 54.5% was male) participated in assessments at six time points, using six-month assessment intervals. Growth mixture modeling analyses extracted three distinct trajectories of suicidal ideation: "low-stable" (86.4%), "moderate-increasing" (7.1%) and "high-start" (6.5%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that social anxiety and academic anxiety served as risk factors for the adverse developmental trajectories of suicidal ideation; whereas self-esteem, life satisfaction, and academic achievement served as protective factors for the positive developmental trajectory of suicidal ideation. The identification of three subgroups with unique predictors highlights the importance of individual difference considerations in understanding the progression of suicidal ideation in childhood and adolescence and the need for specific programs tailored to the unique characteristics of the relevant trajectories. Furthermore, given that suicidal ideation may start in a proportion of middle childhood youths and continue into adolescence, the middle childhood period should provide an important window of opportunity for large-scale screening and prevention of the escalation of suicidality in adolescence.

Psychometric properties of the symptom check list 90 (SCL-90) for Chinese undergraduate students.

BACKGROUND: Despite the widespread application of the Chinese version of Symptom Check List 90 (SCL-90) amongst undergraduate students, researchers have not thoroughly evaluated its psychometric features with representative samples of Chinese undergraduate students. AIM: To evaluate its psychometric properties based on a large, representative sample of Chinese undergraduate students. METHODS: A total of 4456 Chinese undergraduate students (age range = 17-25 years) completed the SCL-90. Correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to evaluate its reliability and validity. RESULTS: The evidence for item-total correlations, internal consistency reliability, intraclass correlation coefficients and composite reliability, and the hypothesized factor structure was satisfactory. The evidence for convergent validity was acceptable; however, the evidence for discriminant validity was not satisfactory. CONCLUSION: Based on a large, representative sample of Chinese undergraduate students, the Chinese version of the SCL-90 revealed both strengths and limitations, suggesting the need for further research.

Assessing the measurement invariance of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale in Chinese and American adolescents.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the measurement invariance of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS) and latent means across early adolescents from two diverse cultural settings, China and America. METHODS: We sampled 2045 middle school students (960 males) from China and 1747 middle school students (887 males) from America. Confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis were performed to examine the factor structure and the measurement equivalence across the two cultures and then examined latent mean differences between Chinese early adolescents and American early adolescents. RESULTS: Results of confirmatory factor analyses provided support for the expected one-factor structure. And a series of multi-group confirmatory factor analyses supported full configural invariance, full metric invariance, and partial scalar invariance between the two groups. These findings suggest that the BMSLSS may provide acceptable comparisons and meaningful correlates across the two differing cultures. Subsequent analyses of latent means indicated the suitability of the BMSLSS for conducting mean comparisons and revealed significant differences between Chinese early adolescents and American early adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The BMSLSS appears to be suitable for cross-cultural studies between Chinese and American early adolescents. Chinese early adolescents reported lower life satisfaction than early American adolescents.

An examination of the reciprocal relations between life satisfaction and social problem solving in early adolescents.

Theoretical and emerging empirical advances in the life satisfaction (LS) and social problem solving (SPS) literature suggest that LS and SPS may have bidirectional relations. The main purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis of bidirectionality between LS and two components of the SPS, orientation (SPS-O) and skills (SPS-S). Two waves of data were collected from a sample of 733 adolescents at a middle school over a 6-month period. Cross-lagged panel analysis results showed that statistically, LS significantly predicted SPS-O and SPS-S after six months; however, neither SPS-O nor SPS-S significantly predicted LS after six months. These findings suggest LS may function as an antecedent of SPS-O and SPS-S among early adolescents, which lead to a main implication that both SPS and LS could be the direct aims of educational and psychological programs to promote SPS development in early adolescents. Additional implication and future directions are discussed.