AbstractBeing accepted by peers is central to health and wellbeing among adolescents whereas being the subject of peer/bullying-victimization can be perceived as significant interpersonal stress, resulting in compromised adjustment concurrently and long-term. Unfortunately, little is known about mechanisms that explain why peer victimization goes ‘‘under the skin’’. This systematic review aims to summarize the research on mediating pathways. A total of 65 articles were selected that explicitly examined media-tion of associations between peer victimization in adoles-cence and concurrent and later outcomes. Most studies were based on North American and European samples and focused on internalizing or school-related outcomes. Mediation appears to be more stable by emotional states and symptoms than self-perceptions and attributions but results vary by outcome. Limitations concern the cross-sectional design of most studies, geographic restriction, and widespread use of self-reports for assessments of exposure, mediator, and outcome. KeywordsPeer victimization Mediation Internalizing Externalizing Academic Systematic review