Childhood peer victimization experiences and adult psychological adjustment: Examining race/ethnicity and race-related attributions

Abstract

Few studies have examined young adults’ perceptions of childhood peer victimization (CPV) experiences and whether people of different racial/ethnic backgrounds perceive CPV differently. The current study examined the prevalence of CPV reported by members of the dominant racial majority (e.g., White), and individuals with racial minority backgrounds, and assessed the link between CPV and young adults’ psychological adjustment. Additionally, by examining attributions of skin color/ethnicity for CPV, both generally speaking and in light of possible moderating effects, the current study provides information on possible racial/ethnic differences in the causal interpretations of CPV. Data from 258 undergraduates (188 = majority; 70 = ethnic minority) revealed that racial/ethnic minority participants reported greater frequencies of CPV than majority White participants, and CPV was significantly associated with poorer psychological adjustment in young adulthood for all participants. Although attributions of skin color/ethnicity did not exacerbate the relationship between CPV and poor adjustment, the results do show that racial/ethnic minority participants are more likely than White participants to attribute all types of CPV to their skin color/ethnicity.