Escape from School: Linking School Climate, Bullying Victimization, Resilience and School Truancy in a Moderated Mediation Model

Studies investigating the association between school climate and school truancy have primarily been conducted in Western countries, and less is known about the underlying mechanisms. This study investigates the mediating effect of bullying victimization in the relationship between school climate and school truancy and the moderating effect of resilience in the relationship between bullying victimization and school truancy. Data are obtained from 11,666 Chinese adolescents in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The results illustrate that a more positive school climate is related to a lower level of school truancy. Moreover, a more positive school climate is related to a lower level of bullying victimization, thereby resulting in a lower level of school truancy. Furthermore, resilience moderates the relationship between bullying victimization and school truancy, with more substantial effects for adolescents with lower resilience. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.