To explore the association between peer victimization and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) among junior high school students, so as to provide a scientific basis for preventing adolescent PLEs.

In January 2024, a method of combining convenient sampling with cluster sampling was used to survey 2 760 students from two ordinary junior high schools in southern Anhui Province (Susong Country, Anqing City). The Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) and the Adolescent Peer Bullying Scale were employed to assess PLEs with different symptoms and peer victimization (verbal, physical, relational, and cyberbullying). Multivariate Logistic regression models analyzed the associations of different types peer victimization and PLEs with different symptoms.

The prevalence of PLEs was 17.5%, with delusional (15.4%) and hallucinatory (7.4%) symptoms being most common. Peer victimization was reported by 51.3% of students (49.6% victims, 19.5% perpetrators), with verbal victimization being most frequent (42.4% victims, 15.5% perpetrators) and cyberbullying least frequent (6.0% victims, 1.9% perpetrators). Compared to students without bullying, students exposed to bullying showed significantly higher rates of delusional (χ²=29.09-127.22), hallucinatory (χ²=27.23-72.29), and overall PLEs (χ²=34.32-127.25) (all P < 0.01). After adjusting for relevant confounding factors, the multiple Logistic regression model revealed verbal victimization increased risks of delusions (OR=1.59, 95%CI=1.22-2.09), hallucinations (OR=1.94, 95%CI=1.33-2.84), and overall PLEs (OR=1.62, 95%CI=1.26-2.09); relational victimization was associated with delusions (OR=1.83, 95%CI=1.40-2.39) and PLEs (OR=1.65, 95%CI=1.28-2.13); physical victimization correlated with hallucinations (OR=1.64, 95%CI=1.12-2.40) and PLEs (OR=1.41, 95%CI=1.06-1.87) (all P < 0.05).

Specific types of peer victimization are differentially associated with PLEs, with relational victimization demonstrating the strongest association.